Confession
by Scandinavian Sensation
Summary: Sometimes, the scariest moments aren't your own. A few of Class 1-A's students learn that Midoriya almost didn't make it to UA with them, and the people you thought you knew, aren't always the same as they appear. Under a star-lit night sky, Midoriya confesses his nightmares and where they originate from. Theme(s): suicidal themes mentioned
1. 1: Nightmare

**Disclaimer: C'mon, I don't own this. (Do I need to say this every time? Wha- yes, I like having an apartment... yes, not being in prison is co- okay, yes... okay... _yes, okay, I get it. I'll say it. Jeez.)_**

 _Hey all. So I'm listening to sad music, and I figured, why the hell shouldn't I post a sad one-shot? That's really the only inspiration behind this._

 _So tonight (cause it's 3:27 AM as I begin writing this) we'll be doing an EXTREMELY common variation of Midoriya having a nightmare, and people appear! Yay! I originally contemplated with doing Midoriya interacting with someone with a quirk that forced him to be honest, or maybe even having a nightmare during the day, (daymare?) but ultimately, those felt... cheap. Like, prospective students aren't going to be randomly assaulted, especially because it's cited canonically that people recognize the U.A. students. Like, if your quirk is... telling people to be truthful, you're probably a, and I'll try to quote Bakugou here, "a shitty wannabe villain punkass motherfucker."_

 _I did see one super amazing fic though by SevenRenny, named Scorpions and Chains. Check it out, it's seriously great!_

 _Anyways, so yeah. We'll be doing just a typical nightmare setting. It'll be handspun a bit to make it a bit more believable, but I didn't want to use my original idea, because I'm saving it for my other story, and I would hate to reuse ideas._

 _Onto shipping. Uhh... so this'll be awkward, but honestly, there's maybe a ship you could take from this, but maybe not. I won't tell you who is being shipped, because I'll leave it to you guys, but I'm also going to have people interact how I think they would if this actually happened. So yeah. No flaming and shit, and uh, enjoy!_

 _Oh yeah, and this might be a little sad. Sorry. But it'll be fluffy, too! Maybe._

 _SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 144 ONWARD._

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Izuku Midoriya was no stranger to nightmares, contrary to the popular belief that he was just a happy-go-lucky, slightly nerdy, innocent little cinnamon roll. Because of his own personal paranoia, the green-haired wielder of One-For-All had made the decision to withhold his own history from his friends of Class 1-A, and for the most part, they were none the wiser.

Most of the students simply chalked it up to the same reason they didn't share anything from their time in middle school. It was relatively boring, and if anything _did_ happen, they preferred to keep it somewhat buried in the depths of their mind. Unless anyone specifically asked, there was nothing to specifically tell.

But for Midoriya, he _wasn't_ lucky enough to have had just a plain, boring middle school experience. With his circumstances, honestly, it should've been as plain as they came... but apparently, being a plain person did not equate to having plain days. Being on the receiving end of some rather vicious bullying, Midoriya began to wear the scars mentally, as well as physically, though he had no idea they were forming.

It started with the sudden flinching when anyone reached toward him. Inko was horrified at first, but after some rather skittish remarks and pleading, along with some rational deception, she'd come to believe the flinching was due to his inheriting of her nature. After all, he _was_ around her all day, so it only made sense that he'd pick up on a few things, and she knew she wasn't the textbook example for courageous.

The flinching only became worse at school, but his classmates were practically kids, still. They didn't particularly understand mental trauma, and for that matter, neither did Midoriya. He just figured it was like a response to being involved in a lot of fights. Which, he wasn't wrong... per say.

The stuttering began after Bakugou began making it a habit to cut off Midoriya mid-sentence in an effort to establish dominance over him. If there had been one thing that the blonde despised, it was being outdone. And Midoriya was _smart_. His brain was the only thing that let him stand out in a class of imbeciles (in Bakugou's mind), so it became the blond's personal mission to interrupt the green-haired boy at every chance. Other bullies picked up this habit, and soon enough, Midoriya's skittish nature included a stutter that stemmed from not only fear of rejection, but also the thought that no one cared what he had to say.

At night, young Midoriya began having his dreams of being All Might Jr. turn into visions of Bakugou and other bullies pummel him, and his mother expressing disappointment in him. The first few times, he was terrified, and regularly made sure his mother was _not_ disappointed in him. Once he was sure they were fake, he began ignoring them to the best of his ability, and soon enough, they just became a semi-regular thing, just like his flinching and stuttering.

Once he got to U.A, however, things began to change. He made friends. The bullying stopped. He had a quirk. But most of all, people paid attention to him. Which, at first, was revolutionary. But that awe quickly morphed into fear as they began to see right through his carefully crafted facade that he hadn't even meant to create. It wasn't as if he was pretending to be timid, or acting shy. He was genuinely a shy person, thanks largely in part to his lack of friendly interaction.

But his facade of pretending to be okay, convincing both himself and others that there was nothing bothering him... it quickly began to crumble away. People began to see through it. And his belief that Bakugou hadn't been a bad person... also began to erode. He'd forgiven Kacchan - really, he couldn't hold a grudge anyways, so he didn't pretend to try - but that didn't mean he could keep Kacchan from hating his guts... nor could he stop people from speculating.

Speculation could be deterred by behavior that disproved such thoughts, however, and that became Midoriya's primary goal when people snooped around.

And it went great - for awhile. That is... until he'd been invited over to Yaoyorozu's mansion.

Following most of everyone passing the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam, Yaoyorozu decided to hold a small celebration for everyone to come and enjoy themselves as the members of Class 1-A could party in honor of their large step forward in their lives toward becoming heroes. Of course, Bakugou had turned down the offer _immediately_ , and frankly, there was no one that was opposed to that. Even Kirishima was pleased, though he'd admitted he did wish his explosive friend was able to come at one point during the night.

Todoroki, admittedly, passed up the opportunity, if only because he didn't wish to cloud the atmosphere with his thoughts. Midoriya tried to convince him otherwise- as did Yaoyorozu and Mina- but he respectfully declined, and stated he needed to think about things involving his father, as well as visit his mother again. While it was unfortunate, Midoriya understood, and even he admitted to himself that he'd hate to attend a party for something he failed to do.

Everyone else, however, was more than excited to have a night to just... be teenagers for a change. Even Mineta was invited, though Yaoyorozu was _very_ straight-forward with how he was to behave, lest he want to be forcefully removed. The night went off without a hitch, and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely, and found themselves interacting with classmates they didn't typically interact with.

Once the night came, Yaoyorozu informed everyone they could pair up into small groups and find a guest room, but Sero and Hagakure both were adamant on everyone spending the night together, like one big sleepover. The idea went well, and within a few minutes, everyone was settling into their blanket and eagerly chatting away with whomever their nighttime neighbor was.

Strangely, (or not, depending on who you asked), Mineta was stuck between Aoyama and Shoji... something he was not happy with, but nobody was willing to move, to his disappointment.

One-by-one, everyone fell into the waiting arms of dreamland, except for one. Of all nights, sporadic as they were, Midoriya found himself trapped within the cold clutches of a relentless nightmare, and in the real world, he began to shuffle fitfully in his rest, stirring a few of his nearby classmates.

"Jeez... Midoriya's a real wild guy... he even fights in his sleep?" Kirishima muttered, gently rubbing his eyes with his forearm. He'd learned his lesson about using his hand, and he had the scar to prove it. "How manly can you get?"

"I doubt he's fighting," Ashido said, rolling onto her stomach to get a look at the bushy-haired teen, struggling futilely in his rest. While she was partially annoyed to be woken, she hardly blamed Midoriya once she'd seen the state he was in. Part of her was tempted to try and stir him from his slumber, but she also knew how well that went when she'd once woken her brother, and knowing Midoriya and his massive power, she decided to let him ride it out.

A yawn escaped Hagakure's lips, but without the noise that accompanied it, nobody would have known. "It looks like he's in pain... _ohhhh..._ I feel like we should help him..."

Kaminari scoffed. "Yeah; _you_ wake up the kid that can destroy a glacier by flicking his fingers. I'm good with living, though."

From his position, Kirishima could see the way that Midoriya's brow furrowed, as if he was trying to block out bad thoughts, and the way his arms tightened around his sheets. The red-haired teenager frowned, and felt the temptation arise to try and wake up his classmate. Out of anyone, he was the best suited to do so, but he also wasn't sure _how_ suited he was.

"You know... it looks like a pretty bad nightmare..." Hagakure thought aloud. "I didn't know Midoriya had nightmares."

"Everyone has nightmares, Hagakure." The tired, but patient voice of Yaoyorozu broke through the darkness, and through the shadows, one could make out the taller girl leaving the comfort of her blankets to come over to where Midoriya was tossing and turning. She knelt down nearby him and produced a small fan from her abdomen, and turned it on, before placing it near his head in an effort to cool him down. "It's just a natural reaction to stress and fear."

"I-I know that!" Hagakure defended, drawing a snort from Ashido.

"Suuuuree~ you did."

Even in the darkness, Hagakure was able to reach over and smack Ashido lightly on the arm, causing a quiet yelp to escape from Ashido when she felt her arm suddenly touched.

"What do you think he's dreaming about?" Kaminari said suddenly.

Everyone went quiet; the answer could have been a multitude of things, truthfully.

"I cannot say for certain, but... I have had a nightmare about Stain." Iida's voice was sudden, and unexpected, so a few students jumped at the sound of his usually booming voice. But now, it was quiet, and... _small_. It was so unlike the Iida everyone was used to. "At first, it was because of my brother... but after a few nights, it was the look in his eye that I dreamt of."

Iida knew he couldn't tell anyone about the true results of the altercation and outcome he, Todoroki and Midoriya had been part of... but he hadn't withheld the fact that they'd all encountered the Hero Killer. In fact, none of them had.

Mina exhaled gently. "Sometimes, I have nightmares about my parents getting hurt by a villain because of my journey toward becoming a hero."

There were a few mumbles that went around the room as those awake admitted they'd likely had the same nightmare at some point, and even thought about it during the waking hours of the day. Becoming a hero meant putting your family in danger, and nobody was particularly sure on how to deal with that facet of a hero's life.

Aizawa had yet to cover that aspect of heroics, but when he did, everyone was going to be listening.

From the darkness, Kaminari spoke. "I once had a nightmare about Bakugou."

Someone - who, exactly, was unknown- snorted in a failed attempt to withhold their laughter, causing Kaminari to lash out. "H-hey, it's not funny! He's scary!"

Yaoyorozu shushed him gently. "Come now; there's people trying to sleep. Let's be respectful of them."

The electricity-user grumbled quietly, but obliged by Yaoyorozu's request, despite his reluctance to quiet down. Surprisingly, Hagakure spoke up, and agreed. "Kaminari makes a good point... he's rather rude... and he _reallyyy_ hates Midoriya."

"That's true..." Ashido mumbled. "I've never seen someone so kind get treated like such... shit. For no reason, too!"

"H-hey, we can't judge," Kirishima said semi-defensively. "We don't know their history. And Bakugou isn't exactly known for being open about his past, huh?"

Kaminari rolled his eyes in the darkness, knowing full-well no one could see him. "He's also not known for his kindness."

"Let's not divulge into gossip; that's rather unbecoming for prospective heroes, wouldn't you agree?" Iida said, apparently having enough of the conversation. In all honesty, everyone had been expecting Iida to shut down the conversation earlier, they weren't surprised he decided to take a stand now. He had always been against any sort of gossip, so it wasn't surprising to see him stand against it now.

Yaoyorozu created a small candle, and lit it near Izuku's body, in an effort to see better and intervene if necessary.

Suddenly, as if the light was a catalyst in his nightmare, Midoriya grunted, and his body was enveloped in a red glow, and a pressure descended upon the room, before the glow dissipated, and everyone was left wondering what they'd witnessed. However, he shot upward, grasping forward feebly, and clutched at the air, before a guttural roar was unleashed from deep within his throat.

Honestly, it would have been a miracle everyone didn't wake up. That was not the case, however, and those that were previously asleep, were now desperately trying to find their bearings as they were mercilessly torn from their peaceful dreams.

"M-Midoriya!" Kirshima said loudly. "It's okay, dude! You're okay!"

The scenery set in, and memories came flooding back to the green-haired hero, and he felt his stomach churn uncomfortably - in which Kaminari didn't hesitate to point out he was 'going to spew!' - resulting in Yaoyorozu creating a trash can for her classmate in haste, just in time as he violently wretched into the basket. A few people winced at the force of which Midoriya hurled, and because Yaoyorozu was the closest, she felt the obligation to do something, which resulting in an awkward back-rub.

"G-guys...?" Midoriya asked tiredly. The question was open-ended and unspecific, but no one was particularly certain of how to answer their classmate, mostly due to his recent display. More than that, nobody was sure _who_ should speak up. There was no designated caretaker in these situations, and although Uraraka was the closest thing to the "Deku-Help-Leader", she was still smothered by fatigue, and had no clue what was going on.

It was clear, however, that Midoriya was becoming more and more anxious, as his jade eyes filled with doubt, concern, but most noticeably, _fear_.

He was afraid he'd done something wrong.

Yaoyorozu took the opening with a shade of reluctance. "Midoriya, are you alright?"

He blinked groggily, trying desperately to clear the fatigue from his eyes. "I-I..." He closed his eyes, and there was a sharp intake of breath as he seemingly remembered what it was he was dreaming about. His eyes shot open and he looked shaken, as well as visibly nervous. "Y-yeah. I'm fine now."

"Do... do you want to talk about it?" Hagakure asked kindly. Truth-be-told, she had no idea of what to do in this situation. Typically, her friends from primary school just spouted whatever was on their mind, and anyone she'd become friends with at UA did something similar. If they remained silent, it was clear that the issue was something bigger than they were ready to share.

Midoriya looked around the room uneasily, and the message he was sending was clear: _there were too many people_.

Kirishima took notice, and deftly took charge, gesturing to the outside porch where they'd previously held their festives, with his thumb, and a grin adorning his face. "C'mon dude; we can talk out there." He studied Midoriya's face, and despite the waver in his look, he still appeared unnerved by the prospect. "If you want."

"Understandably... there are some secrets we all want to hide." Midoriya glanced over to Iida in surprise. The boy's voice was low, and his eyes were squinting without the use of his glasses, but he seemed much more serious under the dim lighting of the candle. "But... we are your friends. I'm sure we can help, if only a little."

It took Midoriya only a split-second to realize what Iida was implying. Had the engine-quirked student shared his thoughts on his brother... things may have turned out differently. Their lives may have avoided potentially being ended on that fateful night. But then, Stain may not have been captured. Either way, all things considered, being open could only have helped.

Midoriya sighed; putting trust in his friends... he needed to do this. Even if they judged him.

"O-okay. But not everyone." He glanced around the room, taking in the tired and confused looks on some of his classmates faces. "I'll tell them another time."

Iida didn't hesitate to stand up and let his booming voice echo throughout the room. "It's alright, everyone! It was just a poor prank! We apologize for waking everyone!"

Mineta grumbled about being torn from a "lewd dream" and cast Midoriya a tired glare, while a few other students just blinked, shrugged, gave Iida a strange look, and laid back down in earnest. Uraraka gave Midoriya a worried look, which pulled at his heartstrings. She had been tired out from the day, and Midoriya didn't want to pester her with his problems... so he offered her a weak, but heart-warming smile, which she returned, and laid down.

 _I'll tell her_ , he reasoned. _On my own account._

Slowly, Midoriya stood up and slipped outside, closing a well-decorated glass door behind him whilst everyone else dealt with the fallout of a "prank gone awry." For a man that hated lying, Midoriya thought, Iida was a little _too_ good at coming up with fake excuses on the spot. Straight and narrow, and hardly deterred from the rules, his engine-quirked friend was fast on his feet, but just as fast on the ball, it seemed.

He decided to take a moment to drink in the nighttime air; a stark difference from the warmer, more clustered air inside the room. Grand as it was large, the room didn't exactly have the best circulation, and because of that, the temperature rose higher than anticipated - especially with over a dozen teenagers all cluttered together inside.

The sky was polluted with lights, causing the stars to remain hidden from sight, a fact that caused a light frown to slip onto the green-haired boy's face. The moon was masked from sight as well, but more likely, it was due to the cycle of the moon.

"It's a nice night, huh?" From behind, Ashido spoke, trying to avoid frightening the jumpy hero-in-training. He felt a jolt run through his body, and a familiar flicker of power known as One-For-All surge through his muscles, but he exhaled deeply, and pushed the sensation to fight or flee down. He wasn't in danger. There was no one to fight, he told himself.

Ashido must have noticed the startled look on his face, because a guilty smile slipped onto her face, and she rubbed the back of her head, though there was little remorse on her face. "Sorry; didn't mean to scare you. I just, figured talking was better than touching you or something."

He couldn't argue there; touching him would've probably fried his brain, or sent him into the air with a One-For-All packed leap.

"T-thanks," Midoriya said with a smile, which Ashido returned happily.

He could see the curiosity that was bouncing off her expression in waves, but he admired her restraint, as she cast her gaze out on the horizon, despite the lack of anything noteworthy to look at. She muttered lowly, "jeez, everyone better hurry up..."

The two waited patiently for everyone who had been awake for everything to ambulate outside, though Ashido was far less patient than Midoriya. In the end, the group wasn't as large as Midoriya had expected: Kaminari, Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Ashido, Iida, and Hagakure. It was a good thing she was wearing pajamas, otherwise he wouldn't have known she was there, too.

He took a breath in. "S-so...?"

"Just start wherever is comfortable," Yaoyorozu suggested, though judging by the look on her face, she wasn't particularly confident in her thoughts.

Kirishima didn't waste any time in positioning himself next to Midoriya, forcing the smaller boy into a sitting position against the wooden railing that kept one from falling off the porch. Everyone nestled in close, Ashido pushing the ever-awkward Yaoyorozu next to Midoriya, who blushed at the close contact, but remained silent. The pink-skinned girl was tempted to slip in between Kirishima and Midoriya, but ended up laying on her back so she could peek at the sky, too.

A few quiet seconds passed, and Midoriya still had no idea of where to begin, so, he decided to try from the beginning.

"Well... I guess you guys should know, I didn't always know my quirk. I only got my quirk a few months before the UA entrance exam." Iida had been right about one thing: there _were_ some secrets he still had to keep. One-For-All was one of them... for as long as he could keep it, that is.

"That's... rather late for a quirk to develop..." Iida said slowly. Everyone knew the basics of their quirk: it always appeared around when they were four. Scientists began to rationalize it as something akin to a 'puberty', as it was a widely regarded fact of when quirks were first noticed in kids. Of course, that didn't prevent outliers from occasionally occurring, but for the most part, it was rather consistent across the world.

Hagakure pipped up, recalling a fact from one of their first classes. "And you went to middle school with Bakugou... is that why he called you quirkless?"

Midoriya nodded. "Yeah... I-I never showed any sign of a quirk in school, s-so... Kacchan thought I was lying to him..." Truthfully, Midoriya had spent hours upon hours, staying awake at night as he considered these little things. He had finally come to the point where he understood _why_ Bakugou hated him so much... and that it all because the ever-prideful teenager thought that Midoriya had just been waiting to overtake him and make him look like a fool. "I guess... c-cause of the time I got it... w-well... h-he wasn't really wrong when he called me quirkless."

"That explains why you always exploded when you used your quirk!" Hagakure exclaimed suddenly, causing everyone to sweat-drop.

Midoriya sighed internally. _At least they buy it_... he reasoned.

"R-right... w-well... because of that... I wasn't the most popular of students."

Kirishima's goofy smile had disappeared, and he looked Midoriya straight in the eye. He knew. Even with his hair down, he was still just as intimidating as the first time Midoriya had met the kid... even though he wasn't trying to be. "Bullies. Am I right?"

He didn't reply. He didn't have to.

Kirishima hadn't seen too many quirkless kids at his school, if any that he could recall. He spared a glance over at Ashido, but judging by her tense frown, she, too, had no experiences with that sort of thing at their school. Iida folded his arms and looked down. His private academy had no such allowance for those without a quirk, even if it was harsh. Kaminari bit his lip. He'd only seen one... and it hadn't ended well for the poor girl.

He still remembered the announcement of her passing. She had been two years below him, so he didn't know her personally, nor did he really know of her... but he'd been shocked, and rather upset to hear of something so tragic happening to someone so innocent. It was a reminder that the world held dark places beyond the borders of his vision.

Yaoyorozu said nothing, nor did she allow her feelings to slip onto her face. She was not blind to the statistics, which she suspected everyone else to be unaware of. Hardly could she blame them; they were not friendly numbers. One in every ten quirkless children would commit suicide by the end of their primary schooling... Even less would make it through high school, due mostly in part to the rigors of the high schools and their faux hero departments. UA was not the only heroic school, and most had a similar department... they simply lacked the prestige that UA carried in title alone.

If he'd gone through primary school quirkless then...

She clenched her eyes shut. The thoughts were not good.

"I-it wasn't all bad! I was able to get through because I helped the other kids when I could, and they'd spare me!" Midoriya said weakly.

The words echoed ominously. _'They'd spare me'._ They were sickening words... a wave of anger wrapped its way around the small circle of students as they digested the exact terminology that he'd used. He had to fight for his survival.

Hagakure felt her heart aching deep within. "D-didn't the teachers...?"

Midoriya looked away. "They'd see. But more often than not, they wouldn't care."

"The principle didn't care, either?" Hagakure asked softly.

Midoriya didn't respond.

Kirishima clenched his fist and bared his teeth. He knew public schools could be fucked up, but he'd only heard _rumors_ of this sort of thing happening... he'd never believed it actually happened, let alone happened to someone so close to him. And not to someone so kind!

 _'...they'd spare me..._ ' Ashido kept repeating that line over and over in her head, feeling her stomach churn in disgust. She put a hand over her abdomen, trying to quell it. The fact that her classmate - _her friend!_ \- had to _fight_ for his survival at a place that should've been safe haven was repulsive. Nobody standing up for him... nobody _defending_ him...!

She blinked, putting her rage on momentary pause.

"Didn't Bakugou have classes with you...?" There was an unasked question. _'Didn't he protect you...?'_

But he didn't answer that unasked question. He couldn't.

Midoriya flinched lightly, and everyone felt more anger build up within.

"H-he wasn't that bad...! Sure... he had his moments... but I also bothered him a lot, a-and if I didn't challenge him all the time..."

A thud was heard, and everyone turned to Kaminari, who was gritting his teeth in rage. His fist was snugly placed into the wooden flooring, and his body crackled occasionally with loose electricity, causing everyone's hair to stand on-edge. "That's _bullshit!_ You shouldn't defend him! There's no reason what he did was right!"

Despite the wild look in his eye, Midoriya sighed, and looked toward his lap, bringing Kaminari's temper down, as the yellow-haired boy looked at him in confusion. "I-I know... what he did was wrong. B-but... he really does want to be a hero... and since that day, he hasn't done anything to me..." He looked back up, a dim light in the young boy's eyes. "In his own Kacchan-like way... he respects me now."

Ashido snorted. "Yeah; emphasis on 'in his own way'..."

Yaoyorozu, silent for the most of the conversation, gently touched Midoriya's shoulder. She didn't want to abandon the subject of Bakugou and his behavior toward Midoriya... but she hadn't forgotten why they'd come outside in the first place. "What was it that you were dreaming about, though?"

He paled. He _had_ almost forgotten the original reason he'd stumbled outside.

"W-well... the bullies would... physically attack me." Midoriya ignored the way everyone tensed up; some in anger, and some in shock. "But... the words could sometimes hurt more. I can heal from a hit. Words... take longer to forget."

"What did they say?" Yaoyorozu asked softly.

Slowly, he looked up at her, and very, very softly, he spoke. "If I wanted a quirk so badly... I should j-jump." His voice broke, unable to finish the thought, but the implications were set, and a frenzy broke out.

Kaminari stood up and snarled, electricity dancing along his body angrily, threatening to lash out at the person that spoke the vile words. Even without the knowledge of who said it, the yellow-haired teen didn't care - he'd just waltz through Midoriya's former classmates until he found who did. He'd even take on Bakugou if he had to.

Iida was shocked. Hollow-faced and silent, he leaned back, and stared upward. His time at Soumei Private kept him sheltered from people of that calibre. Nearly everyone was the same, and they were drilled to be polite, straight-forward, rule-respecting, and earnest. While all these traits belonged to Iida prior to his enrollment, he'd fit right into the program, and as result, he'd never struggled to meet people. From the time he'd judged Midoriya to the moment he'd become awestruck by the green-haired boy's power, he'd felt bad for the way he'd judged and treated him... but never once had he suspected the boy to be abused in such a way.

Nobody deserved that.

Kirishima and Ashido were both angry, but not enraged like Kaminari. Perhaps it was because of their anger being more shallow, but spread out in an even way, or maybe it was because he was so angry that they couldn't get as fired up... it didn't matter. Kirishima wanted to knock the lights out of whomever said that, and Ashido wouldn't mind giving them a swift spray of non-lethal acid... maybe even burn it into their clothes to remind them of the things they'd said.

Hagakure felt her heartbreak, and she desperately thanked her quirk's ability to hide her face, because she could roll over and they'd never know she was silently letting tears drip from her eyes.

Truly, Midoriya was strange. He was awkward, he was geek-y, he was everything that could be odd... but he was so righteous and nice... even if he wasn't, nobody should be told such heinous things. To know her friend was actively told to end his life was... terrifying, honestly.

Without thinking, Yaoyorozu leaned over, and enveloped the smaller boy in a gentle hug. Maybe it was because of her own awkward ways, or maybe it was because of his own, but this once, Midoriya didn't stiffen or fight off the hug... he just sat still, and though he was beyond surprised, he didn't move or react, other than to sniffle once or twice.

"We're glad you didn't listen..." Yaoyorozu mumbled softly. Her hair, down for a change, draped over Midoriya's shoulder as she pulled him in. She wasn't really sure why she felt obligated to touch him... maybe it was because she wanted to be certain he hadn't become a number she'd read about. Maybe it was because she wanted to make sure that even though he'd dreamt it, he had no reason to go through with it... who knew? She just didn't want him to feel like it was right.

Kirishima wrapped an arm around Yaoyorozu and tugged them in close, breathing his anger out in waves. "Listen here, alright? You're our best bud, and no one can take that away. Fuck whoever said that. You're with us, now. Quirkless or quirked, we fight for everyone. So next time they say that, give them a punch, and we'll be there to clean up whatever's left."

"And I'll kick 'em in the _balls_!" Ashido said a _bit_ too excitedly.

While Midoriya had _no_ intention of telling them _who_ said it, he found his heart swelling, and a few tears leaking loose from his eyes. "T-thanks, everyone..."

Iida put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "He's right. You don't have to go forward alone."

Despite the fear that shone in Iida's eyes, the class president knew that Midoriya was stronger than almost anyone else... and while Midoriya was passive enough... he wasn't, and he'd sooner knock out the person that said those words than listen to them spoken a second time.

"C'mon... let's go inside... Kaminari's about to fry everyone, and I think Hagakure's gonna need a tissue... or twelve," Ashido remarked. Kaminari immediately began protesting, stating how he couldn't believe how anyone would be so inhumane, while Hagakure frantically denied crying _that_ much.

All the while, Izuku had to secretly pinch himself to be sure he wasn't dreaming.

Because even with the nightmare, having friends like he had now was a dream he wished would never end.


	2. 2: Insomnia

This was just a fun little follow-up, nothing too dramatic, just a little practice writing. Hopefully everyone likes it. Focused a tad less on Midoriya, but gave everyone a little something. Enjoy!

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When dusk struck, it was upon the two representatives from Class 1-A to be sure everyone was snugly in bed - or at least, accounted for, safely in their rooms. It wasn't a matter of safety for the students, despite what Iida and Yaoyorozu told everyone, but more of a safety for the two of them, since the later it got, the more unpredictable certain students became. The curfew rule used to just extend toward everyone being located back in the dorms. Thanks to an isolated incident involving Tokoyami (and Dark Shadow), Kaminari, and Shoji, along with a less accidental incident involving Mineta, it was decided that everyone needed to be inside their rooms before 11.

There were obvious protests at first, however, it only took a few silent rule-breakers to begin bending the new curfew in an unintended way. Ashido would be found in Hagakure's room, the two staying up to either hang out later, or watch a movie since the Common Room was off-limits, and eventually other students spied the loophole. To Iida's dismay, even Midoriya took advantage, staying up in Kaminari's room for a video game tourney, involving Satou, Sero and Kirishima.

The timid, green haired boy had only blushed and weakly apologized, though it took all of Iida's willpower to not ask for an invite next time it happened (and judging by the noises he'd hear on some Friday nights, he knew his scolding hadn't exactly dissuaded Midoriya, nor any of the others).

Going to the kitchen was the only acceptable reason to be out of your room during the night, and because of that, it began to evolve into the 'hangout' of those with insomnia. Whether it was plaguing nightmares, restless energy, or just the desire to get some water (and maybe sneak a snack), there was always at least one person hanging out at the table, tiredly sipping on water, hoping for the gentle embrace of sleep.

That's precisely where Yaoyorozu found herself wandering in the deepest part of the night, as she slipped into a nightgown and fumbled through the dark hallway, half of her mind dedicated toward not falling, while the other half of her brain debated with the idea of creating night-time lights for the halls, as to prevent them from being so freaking dark. Really, though! She could hardly see her feet, let alone what might be hiding on the floor, waiting to trip her up!

If she fell, she'd be having a serious word with Aizawa about the design of this place.

Once she got to the stair, she exhaled in relief as dim floor lights illuminated the curve of each step, and tread downward, taking care to avoid falling at this point. Straining, she could hear the quiet muttering of at least two people in the kitchen, and she snorted; of course someone was awake at this time. She had doubts that some of her classmates ever slept with how often some of them showed up to class looking like they were zombies.

How they were okay with sleeping so little, let alone functioning off such a detrimental amount was beyond her - but then, if it wasn't her problem, she wasn't going to solve it. They were all big kids; they could figure their lives out on their own.

Upon reaching the kitchen, the tall, black haired girl was greeted by the sight of _several_ of her classmates, each hanging around the large kitchen table, surprised by her sudden arrival, but not looking too ashamed as she eyed them warily. Ashido smiled widely - a bit _too_ widely for it being past one in the morning - and set down her cup that had steam leaking from the lip of the cup.

"Hey-a! What brings you here, night-walker?" She asked kindly.

The girl was _far_ too awake right now, Yaoyorozu faintly pondered. But, she wouldn't be rude - after all, there was no telling what someone else was thinking, or going through. On the surface, Ashido could be acting jubilant, but internally, there was absolutely no guessing what might be raging on.

"Just a snack," Yaoyorozu said softly, bring a hand to her stomach. She was sure there was a speckle of red dusting her cheeks, but with the faint glow of the kitchen night-light, she was sure no one could tell. "What about you all? Is this a regular meet-up?"

She swept her gaze over the table, taking in everyone's expressions. Tokoyami shrugged, closing his eyes as he did so. From behind him, Dark Shadow seemed to smirk, although it almost blended in with the shadows that engulfed the room. It was the eyes that kept it clearly visible. Kaminari smiled innocently, while Kirishima just stared into his cup, as if embarrassed.

"I'm here, too!" Hagakure exclaimed.

Yaoyorozu blinked. "Are you wearing any clothes?"

" _Thank you_ ," Kaminari emphasized. "We've been discussing that for like, ten minutes!"

"It's more comfortable to sleep in the nude!" Hagakure defended. "You boys won't know, 'cause you're not cultured!"

"I don't think that's the reason," Kirishima said lightly, scratching at his hair as he said so. "Anyways; it just kinda happened this way. I came down first, and saw Tokoyami hanging out by his lonesome, so I asked to join him, and here we are."

She turned her gaze to Tokoyami. "Oh?"

"I do not sleep well - Dark Shadow is most active at night. And, he can be... _irritating_." The last part was spoke with such annoyance, Yaoyorozu was about to make sure she hadn't overstepped a boundary, before Dark Shadow scoffed and crossed his arms.

"I just wanted something to do!"

Tokoyami bristled. "You moving everything around is _not_ doing something!"

"Maybe you should invest in some games, then!"

"I-is he like this every night?" Yaoyorozu couldn't help herself. Honestly, if her quirk was something sentient like Dark Shadow, she had no idea how she'd function, since she'd want to take its considerations into account.

Tokoyami sighed. "No, thankfully. It appears that he is influenced by the lunar cycle, though I can't quite identify why that is." He looked back at Dark Shadow, who turned away defiantly, obviously not quite over their little spat, before looking back at the tall girl. "Tonight's full moon has him more active than other nights, and because of that, he is restless. And, it appear he wants the same for me."

"I... see..." Yaoyorozu admitted with a weak smile. "What about everyone else?"

"I just couldn't sleep!" Ashido said gleefully.

It took most of Yaoyorozu's willpower to avoid commenting a potential hypothesis on why that might be.

"Same; although, I guess this is my punishment for staying up all night last night and missing part of class, huh?" Kirishima said, thinking back to the long night of video games he'd indulged in. It had been a bit of a surprise to Yaoyorozu, seeing her red-haired classmate oversleep, since he was usually pretty punctual and got to sleep early enough, but it appeared that she had her answer to his missing presence.

Something told her that Kaminari's reason might be _coincidentally_ related, and sure enough, she glanced at him, which he responded to with a sheepish smile.

Hagakure, strangely enough, was silent, and didn't seem eager to bring up her reason for being awake. To that, Yaoyorozu understood perfectly. And so, the tall girl would respect Hagakure's privacy, and wouldn't press unless the invisible girl brought it up on her own.

Having found everyone's reason for being awake, Yaoyorozu made her way over to the cupboard, and fished out some of her high calorie snacks - curtesy of her parents. When she'd been growing up, her quirk expended more fat than she had available, which, at times, left her lethargic and unable to use her quirk for long periods of time. To get around that unfortunate slight, her parents located - and coincidentally invested in - a brand of high-calorie snacks that were designed for people with quirks similar to hers. They'd provide all the necessary energy, without sacrificing taste, or including some dangerous ingredient that would leave her ill after consumption.

Ashido glanced at the wrapper, and hummed thoughtfully, prompting Yaoyorozu to swallow, and speak. "It's like a protein bar, common in the Western side of the world. It's ideal for quirks that consume high levels of energy," she explained.

"What does it taste like...?" Ashido mused, sniffing the wrapper. She frowned, unable to place the scent.

"You can try one... I just don't know how much you'll like it. It's..." she paused, unable to find an appropriate description. "... dense?"

Truthfully, they sat pretty heavily on her stomach, and just one bite made her feel like she was full. But, she knew that the sensation was deceptive, especially since the whole bar was the recommended serving, and if she didn't scarf down the entire thing, she'd miss out on all the additional calories that her body would store as fats. For someone who couldn't readily burn the fat, she had no idea how it would present - but, that didn't mean she would stop the pink girl.

Besides; people ate them all the time for large-scale workouts, right? Yaoyorozu had, additionally, scanned over each ingredient, and come to the conclusion that anyone could consume the bars. It ended up being a peace-of-mind study, since she didn't want to feel guilty if someone accidentally ate one of the bars and ended up feeling sick afterward.

Both Kirishima and Kaminari put their hands up as Yaoyorozu offered them the box.

"Nah, I don't do well with calories," Kaminari muttered.

"I'll pass, too. I just ate. Maybe another time, though?" Yaoyorozu nodded, smiling as she turned the box to Hagakure and Tokoyami, who both refused the snacks. Ashido stuck her tongue out and blew them a raspberry.

"You guys are _boring_. I'll try one!"

She easily undid the wrapper and bit into the bar, before Yaoyorozu even had an opportunity to warn her about the fullness she felt after her first bite. She sighed; Mina would learn on her own. And sure enough, after three straight bites - and half the bar down her gullet - she paused, and groaned uneasily. "Jeez... I feel like I ate a whole dinner..."

"I did warn you they were dense," Yaoyorozu countered.

Maybe dense hadn't been the best description?

Ashido eyed the remaining bar, and sighed. "It did taste good, though..." She set the bar down, apparently not eager to choke down the remaining half. "Ooh... my poor tummy..."

A sudden noise from the entry of the kitchen drew everyone's gaze from Mina's spectacle toward the doorway of the kitchen, where Yaoyorozu blinked in surprise at their newest addition. A mess of bed-tossed green hair stood somewhat timidly in the doorway, the unmistakable glimmer of his emerald eyes shining as the kitchen's lighting struck them, though surprise was written all across his face. "O-oh, sorry... I-I just wanted to grab some water... I, uh, I didn't know everyone was awake."

"Midoriya, bro!" Being the first to recover, Kirishima's face easily slipped into a smile and he spread his arms, welcoming their newest companion. "It's no biggie; we're all just kinda relaxing."

"We didn't wake you, correct?" Yaoyorozu asked. While she was sure they hadn't been that loud, it was impossible to tell sometimes.

Thankfully, he quickly refuted her question, shifting awkwardly in place as he did so. "I just... needed water."

"Izuuuuu!" Ashido cried, hands holding her stomach. "My belly hurts... can you rub it?"

Even in the dark, it was impossible to miss the way Midoriya's face lit up like a Christmas tree, the heat practically radiating off his skin so that Yaoyorozu could feel it from where she was standing. "I-I, u-uh, I don't t-think..."

" _Pleaseeeee_?"

"Ashido, don't pester him," Yaoyorozu lightly scolded. The pink-skinned girl paid her no heed though, and rushed over to the boy, practically sinking to her knees in an effort to convince him otherwise.

"I'll be your best friend!"

Hagakure took exception to that. "Hey!"

It was plainly obvious she was wearing down his opposition. Finally, after a few more seconds of begging, he relented, and she pumped her fist in the air, celebrating as she did so. "Yaomomo! Can we use the couch in the Common Room?!"

"I..." She wanted to say no, and the better part of her told her to have everyone go back to bed - they had class in the morning, after all! But yet, somehow, she felt like it wasn't the right thing to do. She knew Midoriya's history of nightmares - his current alert status whispered to her that he'd had another nightmare, and possibly wasn't ready to be ushered away from people that might be calming to him. Even something as trivial as rubbing Ashido's stomach might take his mind off of the nightmare - if that was what had drawn him from his slumber. So, she too, relented. "Okay, fine. But everyone needs to go to bed soon, deal?"

A few quiet celebrations rang out, and internally, Momo had a sneaking suspicion she'd just gotten played. But, it was too late to revoke her decision... and she kind of wanted to relax on the couch, anyway. She wasn't quite ready to go back to bed, and maybe quietly relaxing with her classmates would help lull the sensation of sleep back upon her.

Within moments, they all migrated to the couch - after Midoriya got his cup of water, as he'd initially come for - and as soon as he was seated, Mina tossed herself across his lap (drawing another round of blushing) and lifted her nightshirt, exposing her stomach, which _really_ send the poor teenager into a wave of stammering. Honestly, part of Yaoyorozu wondered if Ashido lived for this sort of thing.

"C'mon! It's easy - just rub in circles!" Mina encouraged, and, despite his obvious reluctance, Midoriya began to rub her stomach, his posture stiff and his eyes anywhere but in front of him. Kirishima and Kaminari were honestly loving it - snickering and giggling like school children, while Hagakure cooed to herself. Tokoyami smirked, but was otherwise silent.

"You're a natural!"

"Y-y-you're not h-helping..." Midoriya mumbled.

The small group fell into silence - minus Mina's faint mumbles of encouragement, countered by Midoriya's flustered mutters - and Yaoyorozu took another bite of her bar, slipping into a contemplative mood.

She'd never exactly spent time with her classmates like this. Of course, they'd all studied together, and once in awhile, they'd have movie marathons, where everyone would be allowed to pick a movie, and they'd vote on which one to watch. Surprisingly, Mineta had won the vote several times, and so far, he'd had yet to disappoint with his selections. Otherwise, they ate together on certain occasions, and small outings were had between social groups... but otherwise, there wasn't a whole lot of separation in the social groups.

Iida, Uraraka and Todoroki were most exclusively found at Midoriya's side, and although he didn't mind mingling with other groups - which, likely was a result of his nightmare story he'd shared at her mansion previously - he mostly kept to his own group. Similarly, Kirishima and Kaminari kept to their exclusive, and larger, social group, which conveniently included Ashido and Hagakure. Tokoyami was usually found with Shoji and Koda, leaving just her as the outcast.

She supposed she fit into Kirishima's group, but her distaste of Bakugou's rather vulgar diction pushed her toward Midoriya's group, especially since she'd found something of a kinship with Todoroki, dating back to their battle trial against Mr. Aizawa. But on a typical day... she didn't really have a socializing group, and for that, she felt a little... excluded.

Friends hadn't been something easy for her to come by, since her family was so well-endowed. People regularly attempted to take advantage of her willingness to become friends, and because of that, she'd learnt to become relatively careful with who she considered her actual friends. Her time at a private academy had also kept her from making specific friends, since many of her fellow classmates had come from around the country - not just the local area, making it hard to arrange for extracurricular activities.

U.A. had offered her the best chance so far, but strangely enough, she felt like she wasn't taking full advantage of it.

"Is there something on your mind, Yaoyorozu?" Midoriya's voice snapped her from her thoughts, and she smiled kindly toward the boy's question - not ignoring how he seemed much more comfortable with his current actions.

"Oh, no. I just..." She trailed off. Was it right to speak her mind? It would only be burdening her fellow classmates with problems that weren't their own. Although...

They were learning to be heroes, after all, and Midoriya specifically had portrayed an attitude that screamed, ' _I don't care if it's not my problem, I care about everyone_ '. Maybe they wouldn't mind...?

She sighed. Might as well be honest. "Sometimes, I feel like I don't exactly... resonate with everyone." She could feel everyone's looks on her as she focused her gaze onto her hands, which laid in her lap. "I know that everyone is pleasant, but I wouldn't say I fit in with anyone specifically. If I must be honest, up until the tutoring... I don't know if I had fit in at all."

"Aww, you shouldn't think that way, Yaoyorozu." Kirishima piped up. "I mean, I know it's not much, but you're pretty manly and -"

"What he's _trying_ to say," Hagakure interrupted sweetly, ignoring the red-haired teen's protests. "Is that you're really nice, and you could talk to anyone, if you wanted. But, I understand why it can be difficult."

The invisible girl adjusted on the couch, sighing as she did so. "Being... y'know, _invisible_ , it can be kinda hard for me to... break out. In middle school, I didn't stand out until my last year, because I didn't think anyone cared about an invisible girl. But then, one of my only friends told something important." Her voice turned softer, filled with emotion. "We don't judge people on how they look anymore, because that's the norm, right? What's the difference between looking a certain way, and not looking any way? And when I thought about that... it all kinda made sense."

She looked over at Momo - not that anyone else could tell. "So... I get what you mean! But, don't be afraid of pushing your comfort zones, otherwise you might never know where you fit in!"

"Hagakure..." Midoriya whispered. Ashido looked at where she was sitting with a new appreciation.

"She's right." Kirishima spoke up, his energetic voice oddly flat. "I... I had a lot of problems with myself in middle school."

Ashido seemed to stiffen under Midoriya's touch as the red-head spoke up, but she quickly settled, hoping no one noticed.

He grimaced, running the tips of his fingers between the knuckles of his opposite hand, remembering what it was like before he arrived at U.A. with his 'new' outlook. The time before he decided to be the 'manliest man' that existed.

"For some reason, I couldn't really get confident. My quirk was... weak. Boring, I guess. And then... I saw someone save my classmates when a villain showed up, and I began to think I'd never become a hero. I mean, how could I? My quirk was weak, and I was weaker. I wasn't a hero... or a man... I was just a kid. I thought about giving up on my dream, but then..." He clenched his fist. "I saw an interview with Crimson Riot, and I thought to myself, ' _isn't that the man you want to be?_ ' Isn't that the person you wanted to become?!"

He looked up for the first time, a plain smile on his face. "And, I decided to make some changes to my life. No more would I doubt myself, or think of myself as incapable. No longer would I pass up an opportunity to help someone - because that's not what a _real_ man would do." He looked at Yaoyorozu, and then at Hagakure, and his smile widened. "I think the best part about U.A... is you get to choose who you want to be. You can decide if you want to be something else."

"Is it that easy...?" Kaminari wondered aloud. Everyone turned to look at him, and he suddenly realized he'd spoke aloud, waving his hands in defense. "N-not to say I think anyone is wrong...! But..." he turned downcast. "You can't just change who you are overnight, can you?"

"No," Mina said from her sprawled position over Midoriya's lap. "But that doesn't mean it isn't a gradual process, either. I mean, look at me!" She gestured to her whole body, from the mess of pink, curly hair atop her head, the tan horns that peeked through the untamable curls, to the bubblegum pink skin. Even her black sclera, with the golden irises that were almost glowing in the nighttime light. "I'm not... _normal._ As a kid, it's not easy being so different."

Even in the society they lived, children could be the most judgmental crowd, especially when quirks appeared. As time progressed, people became more accustomed to strange appearances, and more often than not, they were readily accepted by parents, friends, and classmates. However, that didn't mean that _everyone_ was that accepting, and at points, small jabs could turn into periods of self-doubt.

"It's not an overnight transformation. I didn't just _know_ I was beautiful - I had to come to accept it!" Yaoyorozu almost sweat-dropped at the acid-wielder's confident words, but a part of her respected the abundance of confidence she seemed to have. Part of her even envied Ashido - that was the same confidence she _should_ have.

People had been telling her since she was a child that she was beautiful - the proper mix of tall and slender, with accelerated developed as part of her quirk. Her eyes were radiant, her hair was silky, her skin was flawless, and she stood out in every appearance she made at her parent's parties. She'd been showered with compliments, yet, they all felt... hollow. And, as she stood amongst the adults, she didn't _feel_ beautiful.

She felt trapped.

Nobody seemed to see her in a different light. It was all about her looks, accompanied by her 'amazing' quirk. Nobody paid attention to her critics, or her demons - no one banished her doubts, or her questions. They left her to fight her own alienated mind, tending only to her outwardly appearance, as if their praise would land them in a favorable spot later in life.

But she was not shallow; nor, she suspected, had she ever been. She wasn't particularly sure why that was. Her parents didn't exactly ingrain humility into her daily life, nor did they attempt to keep her grounded to Earth. It was suspected that her inability to make friends was what kept her pride small, and her confidence smaller.

"Easy for you to say - you don't turn stupid when you overuse your quirk." Kaminari groaned, stray bolts of electricity dancing up his arm as he spoke. "I can't tell you how many people in this class mock me because of that."

"I-I'm sure they're just joking," Midoriya protested. "I mean, they make fun of me because I used to break everything."

Kaminari was silent.

"Plus, you're really strong! I don't think there's anyone that could go toe-to-toe with you in pure power. E-even Kacchan! Your quirk is powerful - _you're_ powerful."

Kaminari snorted lightly. "You're too pure, bud."

A blush spread over Midoriya's cheeks, and he sub-consciously began rubbing at Ashido's stomach faster. "I-I don't know about that."

"You really are, dude." Kaminari leaned back, folding his arms behind his head as he thoughtfully looked toward the ceiling. "Man, I wouldn't mind taking a crack at whoever bullied you in school."

Midoriya froze, like he'd been encased by Todoroki's ice.

Tokoyami frowned. "I believe I might be missing something."

Everyone looked uncomfortably at one another. The electricity-user blanched, as if realizing his mistake, and he winced when he looked at the disapproving look on several of his friend's faces. "S-sorry..."

"It's fine."

Several eyes turned to Midoriya, who was moving once again. A small, almost faint, smile touched his lips. "I've gotten over it." He paused, deliberating something, before speaking again. "I was bullied a lot in middle school. People said, and did, some... terrible things. I kinda have nightmares now, a-and every so often, I remember the things they... s-said."

"Is that why you're awake now?" Tokoyami asked quietly.

Silence.

"Y-yeah... I... had another nightmare."

From the corner of her eye, Yaoyorozu saw Ashido squeeze Midoriya's thigh, which surprisingly didn't cause him to redden like everything else had. In fact, he almost seemed appreciative of her gesture, and offered her a wobbly smile in return, as he picked up his rubbing once more.

"Was it...?" Kirishima trailed off, but the allusion remained intact.

 _Was it like the last one?_

Midoriya hummed softly. "Yeah." His voice was surprisingly rough, though it wasn't because of anger or irritation. Likely, it was due to his fatigue, slipping into his words. "Just the same one it always is..."

Nobody asked him if he was okay, because they already knew the answer to the question. He was still with them - so he'd assert as confidently as he could that he was fine.

"And they said... _that_?" Kaminari asked, barely containing his anger. It still rubbed him the wrong way, it seemed.

Midoriya nodded wordlessly.

The yellow-haired teen huffed. "Scumbags..."

"You don't believe them, do you?" Hagakure suddenly asked, fright slipping into her voice.

"W-what?" Midoriya's eyes almost bulged from his head. "N-NO! No, no, no, no! I mean, when I was younger... m-maybe it crossed my mind, but... it hasn't been something I've even wondered since meeting you all. I couldn't..." He trailed off, sniffling. "I couldn't do that to any of you."

No one stirred, letting the silence blanket over them until Midoriya broke it again.

"Nothing can really erase their words, b-but everyone's kindness... it makes me glad I came here!"

A flurry of activity suddenly found Midoriya smothered in affection, as Ashido, Kaminari and Kirishima all dove to protect their precious cinnamon role, with Hagakure jumping on top of the pile, giggling as she did so. Midoriya weakly protested, but began laughing as elbows poked into sides, drawing yelps and sharp protests from whoever got a rib full of elbow.

Tokoyami teased a smile. "I might not know your circumstances, but I applaud your resolve. You approached me during the Sports Festival, even when I had no one. My lonesome is something I've grown accustomed to... but, I admit, having your break that streak was very... refreshing. Dark Shadow makes it difficult to want to seek companionship, because of how his power can change." Dark Shadow 'hmph'ed, crossing his arms as he silently floated in the air, behind the couch. "My schooling has been spent mostly by myself, so for you to so readily break that... I appreciated that, Midoriya."

"Aww, lookie! You've touched everyone here, you know?" Ashido said, pinching Midoriya's cheeks. "And you really touched me; I'm so proud of you!"

"A-Ashido!"

Yaoyorozu smiled, repressing a laugh. She glanced at the clock, and sighed as she realized the time.

They were in for a nasty surprise when dawn broke...

But as she glanced back at the dog-pile that had formed, she realized, it was the tender moments like these that mattered more than the extra two hours of sleep they'd probably not get anyways. The bonds they'd form, the experiences they'd share, the emotions they'd tie to one another... each would serve them so much better.

And, so, they all stayed together, laughing and joking, and they groaned together when the sun peeked through the window, realizing they'd burnt the remainder of the night away.

Yet, no one seemed to regret their choice.


	3. 3: Revelation!

**I hope you guys are ready for an angst-y, _long_ chapter! There won't be many chapters left. I'm planning for this:**

 **Chapter 4: Confrontation!**

 **Chapter 5: What Do You Feel...?**

 **Chapter 6: Final Chapter**

* * *

There was something that Class 1-A had, that Class 1-B was lacking. It was evident no matter who was looking, and despite all attempts to rectify and find that missing piece, it remained a solo divider between the two classes, much to the chagrin of many Class 1-B students. They couldn't discover its origin, no matter how hard they looked.

Many of them had settled on the difference being their experiences - Class 1-A had, without a doubt, been exposed to far more in their young schooling career, and because of that, they supposedly stood 'above' Class 1-B. From the combat, to the teachings, to the attention they received - Class 1-A was seemingly years ahead, and had no plans of stopping. Class 1-B was the more studious class, scoring higher on practical exams, tests, and having a better class average. Yet, still, there remained a stark contrast.

If you asked anyone in Class 1-A, they'd tell you that it had nothing to do with murderous individuals revealing themselves - and their intentions - to the majority of the class, but instead, it had everything to do with who led their class. The strangest part was that it wasn't the Class President and Vice President that the students referred to, but rather, a single individual who was more-or-less blind to his own involvement in the matter. He simply put his best foot forward, everyday, and in doing so, had gained a following of students, willing to fight by his side... or fight for his justice, should it be necessary...

Practically no one was foreign to his nightmares. Of course, he never made a big deal about them, because he didn't have to be a psychic to know that most of his friends were having their own nightmares. They'd all been exposed to the same horrors, they'd seen the same things. Some were able to cope better than others, but nobody judged anybody - especially when the kitchen lights would flicker, and someone could be heard, rummaging through the fridge, or turning the television on inside the Common Room, because they were too wound up to go back to sleep.

There was a group that had taken special care to watch out for Midoriya, not that he needed it, of course. He had no idea they were watching him, either. The only reason they paid him the special care was because he'd _earned_ it. Everyone had some trying times across their life - well, for the most part. Everyone knew about Todoroki's home situation, after he revealed his true happiness following his mother's discharge home from her hospital. And no one could forget Iida's brother, and the impact his paralysis had on Iida moving forward, despite his best attempts to remain strong.

For each student, there was a story that followed them, not always a bright spot in their difficult, teenage lives.

Midoriya's story wasn't a story he cared to share, because of the haunting fact that hid, immersed in the shadows, privy only to his knowledge. And every time he told his story, his heart clenched, remembering _exactly_ who had spoken those poisonous words.

But, even as he harbored that painful memory, it never crossed his mind to say anything about the specifics - not because they never asked _who_ said it, but because... he couldn't bare to ruin anyone's life over some words. Realistically, those words meant significantly more than any old words, and they were absolutely unacceptable for someone to say to their classmate - let alone anybody - but he also couldn't just... bring up the past like that.

Besides...

Bakugou was different now... or so he told himself.

And maybe, he thought to himself, it was wrong to keep that truth from his classmates. It wasn't exactly like they deserved to know who said it, but hiding something like that...? Surely it would only lead to trouble, if they ever found out. They'd probably become furious. Of course, that was assuming they found out. Which, if they did, it wouldn't be because of his nightmares, that was for sure.

There was also that small part of his mind that told him they'd leave him, if they found out who had uttered those words. People had always chosen Bakugou over him... why would this be any different? No matter what they said, their actions would be the real proof, and - a small, and very ashamed part of him - he believed they'd suddenly abandon him.

So, it made even more sense to remain silent about the whole thing.

That... had been the plan, anyways.

He hadn't mean to say anything. But, ever since a young age, he'd had a terrible habit of muttering whenever he fell deep into thought, and without knowing it, that habit had extended to when he was asleep. It wasn't so much a muttering in his sleep, but instead, just a weak mumbling, with the occasional mutter. He'd been told by his mother that it was rather adorable, but of course, he'd been mortified when he first found out. It hadn't occurred to him that anyone else would discover it, because he hadn't exactly anticipated ever falling asleep around anyone that wasn't his mother.

"You know, it's actually cute that Midoriya talks in his sleep," Ashido said casually.

A few eyes slid her way, none surprised to see a tuft of green hair burrowed into her stomach, using her body as his pillow. Nobody knew when it developed, but lately, he'd picked up a habit of falling asleep against the pink girl, and when he woke up, it would be the same routine: profusely apologize, despite her insistence of it being alright. As of now, he slumbered on, unabated. The class had _just_ finished the first movie, and had been planning to watch a second one, but fatigue had begun to creep into their eyes once the climax came about, and now they were beginning to reconsider.

"Why am I not surprised?" Kaminari teased lightly, prompting Ashido to stick her tongue out in retaliation.

"What is he saying?" Hagakure leaned over, trying to catch an earful of the timid boy's words, but frowned as he went silent, a pout crossing her invisible features. "Mmm, of course he won't talk now that I'm listening..."

Yaoyorozu sighed, but managed to suppress her giggle. "I don't think that's quite how it works, Hagakure..."

A few students stood up, and stretched out their sore and exhausted muscles, with more than a few pops and cracks echoing throughout the room. Shoji extended his arms, accepting the various emptied bowls from the students, receiving more than a few 'thank-you's in response, responding with a mute nod. Everyone fell into their post-movie routine: round up any of their garbage, throw it away, get their blankets and pillows together, and decide whether to camp out in the Common Room, or drag their feet toward their room, and hope they made it before passing out.

Ojiro glanced over at the clock. "We've got some time; does anyone want to play a game?"

A few heads perked up. "Oh; I'd love to!" Hagakure said excitedly.

"What games were you thinking of?" Kirishima asked curiously.

"Strip poker!" Mineta called, and a chorus of groans simultaneously rolled through the room. "What?!"

"Didn't we ban you from suggestions...? Gero."

Mineta crossed his arms and pouted. "You all had no problem with the movie I picked..."

Ashido was sniggering, still snugly positioned on the couch, sneakily snapping a picture of herself and Midoriya, though the latter was blissfully unaware. She peeked up from her phone, rolling her eyes as she registered Mineta's suggestion. "Jeez; I'd rather take a nosedive off the roof than play strip poker with you..."

"Ashido, please!" Iida said firmly. "Have a bit of care with your language. That's nothing to joke about!"

Before the pink girl could make any sort of response, the occupant on her abdomen suddenly began to thrash, his face scrunching up as his fists tightened, the familiar look of a nightmare tracing his expression. His quirk didn't activate - thankfully, as Mina realized how that might end for her - but he definitely wasn't calm, as his muttering began much faster than normal.

"Not the rooftop, not going up, not again, I won't..." Ashido felt her heart begin to beat just a little faster. _Rooftop_? Was he dreaming about the person that told him to jump off the building...? Had he accidentally heard her? A few of her nearby classmates noticed his suddenly erratic movements, and watched on worried, debating between waking the boy up, or letting him sleep, with the hope that whatever it was he was thinking of would pass. "S-stop... it... Kacchan..."

Ashido froze - and not just her, but _several_ students halted in their tracks, their minds blank as Midoriya's faint words filled their brains. What had he meant by that...?

Several pairs of eyes darted from left to right, momentarily locking with another pair, before shifting over to catch someone else's reaction. Nobody moved - _nobody breathed_. A tense air settled around the room, suffocating and heavy, like a blanket made from steel. The sensation washed over everyone, and in the depths of their mind, thoughts began racing, various in nature, but negative in unison.

 _What had he meant?_

"I-idiot... w-w-why would you say that...?" Midoriya whispered. A stray tear leaked from his eye, despite how hard his lids were clamped shut, splashing harmlessly onto Ashido's shirt, dampening the fabric. On any normal given day, the pink girl would've gently stroked his hair, whispering sweet nothings in hopes of soothing his raveged soul - but this was not a given day, and this was nothing normal.

They finally had an answer.

"Kac- _Bakugou_...?" Kaminari hissed, only to be shushed by several of his classmates.

Shakily, Mina ran her hand across Midoriya's cheek, hoping to pull him away from the nightmare he was stuck in. She looked at her classmates fearfully, but they were all paralyzed the same as she was. Part of her wanted to know more; there was always that little bit of doubt that existed - maybe it wasn't Bakugou that had said it. Maybe he was just dreaming of a time when the blonde haired kid was hitting him, or chasing him. Maybe it was just him dreaming about a fight they were having.

But maybe... maybe _he_ was the one who said those vile words.

"Wake up..." Ashido murmured, hating how her request sounded like _begging_. Suddenly, the truth seemed toxic. She didn't want to know about it anymore.

And, like a spell, Midoriya's eyes fluttered open, and he yawned, gently sitting up as he rubbed as his eyes. He paused momentarily, noticing the water that dampened his fists, but resume the rubbing, before slowly retracting his hands and catching the faces of everyone he shared class with.

"W-what...?"

"Midoriya...?" Jirou asked slowly.

His eyes widened. "W-why's everyone looking so... scared?"

Nobody spoke. Nobody knew what to say.

"What were you dreaming of?" Todoroki breathed, barely able to raise his voice.

"I, uh..." Midoriya hesitated, and the vice around everyone's heart grew tighter. "N-nothing...!"

Sensing everyone's disbelief, he began to squirm uncomfortably; the burning glare of the spotlight having metaphorically landed directly on top of him. "R-really! It was... just a dumb dream..."

"Dream... or nightmare?" Tokoyami asked quietly. The green haired boy looked away, his frown becoming more pronounced by the second.

"It's just the s-same one I have all the time..." Midoriya mumbled. Subconsciously, his hand flittered to his scarred hand, and began rubbing at the marred skin, as if the rough patch was aching.

"Bakugou..." Kaminari repeated again, breathing his name. Midoriya froze. Everyone took a sharp breath in.

"What... what about him...?"

"You said his name." Ashido looked at him, her face unusually serious. There was a glimmer of fear that glistened in her amber eyes, and as she bit her lip, Midoriya realized _why_ everyone looked like they'd seen a ghost. _They had discovered who had been haunting his nightmares._

 _They'd finally discovered his ghost._

"N-no...! I-it's n-n-not..." He twisted, suddenly _very aware_ of everyone's gaze - and their averting of said gaze. He looked at Uraraka, who was barely containing the tears that were pooling in her eyes. His neck snapped to look at Iida, who was frozen, like a statue, not speaking or moving. Panic began taking over as his eyes slid over to Asui. Even she was barely able to contain her emotions - she, one of the most composed students in the class!

Nervous energy filled his muscles, and faintly, Midoriya registered the familiar tingling of Full Cowling spreading across his skin as his emotions began putting his body on autopilot. There was no one to fight - yet he felt like he had to protect himself. The hair on his neck stood on-edge as he fell off the couch, staggering to his feet and backing away from the looks of his classmates - _his friends._

His breath hitched. "S-stop...! It's not... h-he didn't..."

" _Midoriya_."

Someone's voice barely registered in his brain. _The walls were closing in. The ceiling - was it falling? Why did it seem so hard to breathe?!_

"Izuku!" Mina desperately called, noticing the signs of an anxiety attack taking over, the hyperventilation he was slipping into. She jumped off her place on the couch and immediately took his hands in hers, ignoring how clammy he felt, and tried rubbing circles on his palms, in an effort to draw him back to reality. "Listen to me... breathe..."

"Everyone, out, please!" The stern voice of Yaoyorozu faintly registered in back of Midoriya's mind, but the sudden vacancy of the room seemed to open up the room a little bit, and slowly, he felt the cool, refreshing air begin filling his lungs once more, and the throbbing in his chest began to settle.

Tears prickled at his eyes. "P-please... d-don't..."

"We're not going anywhere," Mina whispered comfortingly. Her gaze flickered to Uraraka, Iida, Asui, Todoroki, and Kirishima, nodding slowly to them in an effort to get them to come over. "It'll be okay. Just keep breathing."

 _But it wouldn't be okay. Midoriya knew better._

* * *

"What the fuck did we just witness...?" Kaminari was the first to break the silence that had fallen over the class as they stepped outside - the only place Yaoyorozu could think of that would handle the dozen or so of them. He'd been the first to snap from his stupor, and while the shock had begun to fade, the rage that took its place was no better.

"A deeply held secret..." Aoyama said softly.

Silence took over once more, nobody having anything to say - nobody knowing _what_ to say.

"This is all sorts of screwed up..." Mineta mumbled, leaning against the wall of the building, sliding down into a sitting position. Honestly, that was _not_ what he'd expected when he'd voted for a movie night - hell, he hadn't even known that Midoriya and Bakugou _had_ such a history! They didn't really like each other... well, Bakugou didn't like Midoriya... but that was something that Mineta just couldn't comprehend.

Midoriya was cool. He was selfless. Kind. Even though he was timid, he didn't yell or scream, and from what Mineta could tell, he didn't even judge anyone. It wasn't quite unanimous, but most people believed that Izuku was among the top in the class - if not being _the_ top. Mineta, personally, believed whole-heartedly that Midoriya belonged at the top, just for the stuff he'd seen the strength-enhancement teenager do.

If it hadn't been for Midoriya's quick mind, Mineta wasn't sure if he'd still be around. Period.

Because of that, the short teen had nothing but respect for his friend - and he'd proudly call Midoriya a friend until the day he died. Even if he couldn't always understand the timid boy's vision, or his unstoppable drive... Mineta would always respect and look up to Midoriya.

But this was... all so unexpected.

"It appears there's more to their story than simple rivals..." Shoji muttered, folding all but two of his arms over his chest. "I'm not quite sure what to think about this..."

Yaoyorozu shot him a weak glare. "We shouldn't rush into assumptions with this. And we _definitely_ shouldn't treat anyone differently until we know more."

"You can't honestly tell me that _this_ ," Kaminari said heatedly, gesturing to everything around them, "is up for debate! Bakugou told Midoriya to ki-"

Unable to take anymore, Jirou jammed her ear-jack into the yellow haired boy's side, eliciting a sharp hiss from him, but more importantly, stopping his tirade before it went out of control. She weakly glared at him, which he returned, though it wasn't because of her intervention, and they both knew that.

Everyone was worked up, and tempers were high. Nobody knew what to do.

The tall, black haired girl drew a breath in, pinched the bridge of her nose, and exhaled. "Is there anyone unfamiliar with what is going on? I might as well eliminate any doubts, so that we prevent rumors from popping up."

A few shaky hands went up, and Yaoyorozu nodded slowly. She wasn't exactly surprised; most of the class hadn't yet discovered the history that Midoriya had shelved away, far out of reach for anyone - including himself. Part of her felt dirty as she contemplated _how_ to reveal this skeletons that lurked within their classmate's closet. It wasn't her secret to share, after all. But if she didn't say anything...

A curse tumbled from her mouth before she could stop herself. If she remained mute, than there was a very realistic chance that the rumors would crop up like small fires, before they're run rampant and catch the whole school ablaze. Then, Midoriya would be forced into a situation that he certainly wanted to avoid.

"It should be clear," Yaoyorozu said slowly, and deliberately. "Anything said here - _tonight_ \- remains here. Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ , is to find out about this. If anyone decides to share what they learn..." the tall girl trailed off, her eyes stony and her gaze cold. She was above meager threats, the vague promises demeaning to her status. However, she would ensure that anyone that couldn't contain themselves would be _properly_ dealt with.

There seemed to be a consensus, everyone hastily agreeing with Yaoyorozu's heavy words, most likely to avoid her rage. It slightly bothered her, and she hoped that they were agreeing simply because they wanted to help their frightened classmate, but ultimately, their reason wasn't her within her control - the only thing that mattered was their loyalty.

"Right... well, as you have seen... Midoriya and Bakugou do share a history together." She still wasn't certain of how to begin the tale, but clearing the obvious seemed like an ideal start.

"History... like... dating?" Yaoyorozu pinched the bridge of her nose. She shot a weak glare at Mineta, but her glare wavered as she failed to note any malicious or snark on the short boy's expression. In fact, he looked simply... scared.

She sighed, but clarified. "No; they were classmates. Childhood... ' _friends_.'" Nobody could miss the inflection in her tone as she uttered 'friends'. "From everything I've gathered, Bakugou developed his quirk, and became rather inflated. Midoriya was a late-bloomer. And by that, I mean _late_."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Sero said, quivering slightly as Yaoyorozu's steely gaze settled on him. "But I think we all kinda know that, right? I mean, Bakugou's a cocky ass, and Midoriya's kinda scared all the time, but what does their quirk development have to do with anything?"

Yaoyorozu bit her lip; here came the first trial. "Bakugou bullied Midoriya. Harshly."

The reactions were exactly as Yaoyorozu expected. There was anger - Kaminari hissed again, his temper still running hot from earlier. Tokoyami's usual unflappable visage became darker, and his eyes seemed to radiate power as he glowered silently. Aoyama seemed to glare, although with his usual expression, it was difficult to discern his true feelings, minus his quiet mumbles, "how uncouth..."

Jirou seemed relatively uncomfortable, rubbing her arm as she keep a vigilant eye on Kaminari, her earjacks at the ready. Shoji simply seemed stunned, his eyes wide and his arms limp. Koda didn't hesitate to shed a tear, and he pitifully gazed back toward the door they'd emerged from.

"A-are you... sure?" Ojiro asked shakily, drawing everyone's attention to him. He seemed to be struggling between accepting and denying the information - not like Yaoyorozu could blame him. She'd been rather surprised when she found out initially, despite her hypothesis. "I mean... Bakugou _is_ an ass... but that's kind of far, especially for someone who wants to be a hero..."

"Have you _seen_ him?!" Kaminari erupted, his quirk flaring up coincidentally. "Really; the kid has been a jerk to _everyone_ since arriving at this school! He regularly talks down on people, and calls us all 'extras' because he thinks he's the best at everything! I wouldn't be _shocked_ if he was the one who told Midoriya to die!"

"DIE?!" Several students blurted out, and in a matter of several seconds, the order that Yaoyorozu had established came crashing down. Chaos reigned supreme, voices clamoring above one another in a vain effort to be heard.

Yaoyorozu didn't have the heart to glare at the electrification-user. Honestly, she felt - and supported - his rage. When Midoriya had initially revealed the relationship he and Bakugou shared, the tall girl had her own suspicions. His meek behavior around the blonde, paired with everything he embodied upon his initial acceptance into U.A. led her to believe that he was a likely culprit. She, of course, hadn't said anything, because rumors were unbecoming of her, as well as any prospective hero. That didn't stop her from speculating, however.

And, as she studied their dynamic in class, and in the halls, she couldn't ignore the glare that Bakugou would level on Midoriya's unaware figure. It was almost as if the explosive boy had a personal grudge - something fueled by years and years of building. As much as it frustrated her, she couldn't determine why that was.

Midoriya was a fairly innocent person - a bit overzealous about being a hero, but nothing that she didn't respect and wish to embody as well. A small part of her wondered if perhaps Midoriya had been different in middle school, but his personality said otherwise. It was too radical for him to change so suddenly in one summer. And the honesty behind his words during their little moonlight therapy session had her convinced: he'd been a rather timid child, too.

Which begged the question: _why did Bakugou treat Midoriya as a personal attack to his life?_

There was the obvious aspect of Midoriya's rapid development. If he'd been formerly quirkless as he suggested, then perhaps Bakugou felt threatened by his classmate's sudden ascension and utilization of his powerful quirk. But that was petty behavior. It was the telling signs of a mental disorder; one that needed psychological intervention, lest it develop into something further... and judging by the toxic relationship between Midoriya and Bakugou, it was clear that it had been left untouched for years. Truthfully, Momo could not imagine their fragile status becoming any further tainted.

Without the ability to ask Bakugou himself, Yaoyorozu had to admit her frustration and accept that she would never truly know the answer to the questions that plagued their dynamic. As much as it bothered her - and concerned her - she would be stuck in an endless loop, with no satisfying answer to quench her parched need for knowledge.

It was only because of Jirou that the clamoring between classmates came to an abrupt end, the earjack-heroine's quirk quickly drowning out the frantic questions that ricocheted around, bouncing off other statements, gaining both momentum and impact. With no answers, most of Class 1-A was left desperately trying to piece together a puzzle, not knowing if they even had the right pieces.

"Everyone _shut it_!" Jirou's strained voice followed her quirk, and despite the lack of volume to it, there was immediate silence as everyone focused their attention on the girl, worry etched onto everyone's face. "L-look, just... let Yaomomo explain." She turned to Yaoyorozu - who flashed her an appreciative smile - and shakily nodded. "I hope you have answers..."

The tall girl exhaled. "Unfortunately, not all of them."

That much was true; she _didn't_ know all of the answers. There were many gaps - voids that sucked in darkness, leaving a whistling hole of nothingness where something should be. The waters were murky, scoured with confusion, conflicting theories and hypothetical conceptions... but there was still some truth within the depths. Bakugou might have not be approachable, and Midoriya might have endlessly defended his former bully, but Yaoyorozu Momo was not a quitter, and with the time she'd taken, there were _some_ answers that she had managed to pry from his past.

"But... let's start from what I know..."

* * *

"G-g-guys... I _c-can't..._ "

Wet, snotty hiccups punctuated each word, breaking apart the already fractured sentence, and making Midoriya's feeble protests harder to interpret - and more concerning to hear. The departure of his classmates had given Midoriya the space he needed to breathe and think, but it had also removed the power of persuasion from his hand, leaving him without another plan. He'd simply clung to Ashido and Uraraka, trying desperately to listen to their soothing voices and calm down, yet finding each breath he took challenging.

He couldn't _believe_ he'd upped and revealed _everything_ in a matter of minutes. He only had _two_ secrets to keep - and one wasn't even his to know. There was no need to bring up the past, or involve anyone in his past endeavors and struggles. No reason at all. Yet, here he was, having a breakdown on the floor of the Common Room, while everyone suddenly learnt about his history of abuse.

 _Abuse_.

It sickened him to think that his entire middle school experience had been mired by abusive peers. He didn't want to believe it, if he were honest. Part of him wondered if he'd done something to deserve that behavior, then maybe, it would've been justified response from his classmates. But with as long as he looked, he could never find anything that deserved the kind of treatment he received. The cherry on top? Bakugou's involvement. It was _fucked up_ to think that his childhood friend was the one leading the charge, no matter how he looked at it.

He tried convincing himself that Bakugou wasn't the same kid he was back then; and, for the most part, he was correct. The sandy-haired teenager had displayed numerous instances of growth - starting simply with the Sludge Villain, and expanding to instances such as the Sports Festival speech. Bakugou's vague - and poorly masked - compliments toward people like Uraraka and Kirishima were examples of his expanding vision, and bolstered the idea in Midoriya's mind that Bakugou _was_ growing. It was slow, but encouraging growth.

Then he'd gone and unraveled everything. All because he couldn't keep his dumb, stupid mouth shut.

"Easy there," Ashido murmured softly, stroking his back gently with the tips of her fingers. Uraraka followed suit, but grasped his scarred hand firmly, rubbing the pad on her thumb across his knuckles, eliciting a strange sensation on the surface of his skin. He likely would've pondered it more had he felt alright - but he didn't feel alright, and that was the problem.

He hiccuped again. "I m-messed _everything_ up..."

"Nonsense." Iida's typically booming voice was much more reserved, and far gentler than Midoriya could ever recall. "You haven't messed anything up, Midoriya. We just... would like to be there for you, if you want us to be."

There was a lot that went unspoken as Iida trailed off, and for one moment, Midoriya hesitated. Was this... how Iida felt when his brother had been attacked by Stain...? The moment of unclarity, where everything felt wrong and it seemed like there was no right? Was this what Iida felt before he decided that the only course of action was revenge?

Revenge, in this case, was unnecessary - and by extension, there was nothing to avenge. But the hopeless feeling was crippling, and all Midoriya wanted was for it to go away. If being honest would rid that suffocating sensation, then he'd be honest.

"O-okay. A-a-alright." He nodded slowly, his sniffling slowing down as he blinked a few times, clearing the tears from his sight. "I-I, um..." He trailed off. He wasn't sure what to say.

"You dreamt of Bakugou, didn't you?" Todoroki asked quietly. Midoriya timidly nodded. "Why...?"

That was the question, wasn't it? Midoriya would have snorted, maybe even laughed bitterly, had he been a little more frustrated. But, alas, he wasn't going totally crazy... it just felt _tired_. Tired of the nightmares. Tired of the reminders. Tired of... Bakugou. Not of his actual person... but of the way he used to be. It was difficult to explain, and he knew that anything he said wouldn't particularly make sense outloud, but honestly, he wasn't even sure if _he_ understood his thought process.

Even so, he had to try. At the very least, he had to articulate his thoughts in the best way possible, even if nobody understood him. But first, he had to be honest. He steeled his resolve; he had to be strong. Strong... like All Might. He couldn't cower out. He had to be honest. His friends... they deserved his honesty. "When Kacchan and I... we went to middle school together. And... he bullied me."

"Because your quirk hadn't manifested," Ashido supplied helpfully, smiling as Midoriya gave her a look of appreciation.

 _Iida and Ashido know the story... most of it, anyways. Kirishima, too. But Todoroki, Uraraka and Asui... they don't know anything._ Midoriya bit his lip in thought. _I can't just dive in... but I can't dodge around, either. I just... have to phrase everything that so nobody goes wild. Ashido might actually try and fight Kacchan, even if Iida and Kirishima hold her back. Uraraka and Asui... they're harder to gauge. But..._ He gulped. _They won't leave me. I... trust them._

He nodded subtly. Yes, he trusted them. They'd stay with him... they'd proven that from the moment when everyone had sat with him during his initial story. They wouldn't abandon him - _they wouldn't_.

"During a confrontation, someone told me... to g-go the rooftop, and jump off... if I wanted a quirk." Saying it aloud was still painful. He felt the tremble in his voice as he recalled the _exact_ words, closing his eyes as he tried to push the various emotions away. He couldn't break down yet - he had to remain strong. With a heavy exhale, he pushed on, silently gauging everyone's expression.

Ashido and Kirshima had familiar flickers of anger flush across their faces, and Iida seemed stone-faced, but not enraged. Uraraka and Asui was horror-stricken, but most interestingly had to be Todoroki, who was neutral-faced, silently withholding his reservations until the end. That scared Midoriya, if he were honest. Someone predictable was anxiety-inducing, but at least he had an idea of what they would do. Those that didn't give any indication of their thoughts... they were the real scary ones. One moment they were passive, and the next... was a mystery.

Deciding to keep an eye on Todoroki, Midoriya continued. "I, uh... I-I guess you probably have put everything together by now. Kacchan... was the one who said that."

"W-why..." Uraraka whispered, covering her mouth. "Why would he... say t-that?"

"'Cause he's a fucking asshole, that's why," Ashido seethed. Her amber eyes seemed darker, and her glare didn't help the look. It didn't take much effort to noticing her barely contained rage, and for a split-second, Midoriya was actually afraid she was going to seek out Bakugou and go a few rounds with him. They had once been... something akin to friends. Anyone could see that Ashido once respected his battle prowess and insane skill. In the same regards, he could see why she became cold to his name. Just like Kaminari, just like Yaoyorozu, just like the entirety of class 1-A, they were heroes. Heroes that opposed bullies.

Instead of going to start a fight, she surprised him.

She exhaled thickly, shooting one last venomous glare toward the staircase that led to Bakugou's dorm, before wrapping her arms around Midoriya's torso and pulling him into her embrace. With their awkward position, her chest pressed against his back, causing him to blush as he felt her... womanly parts press against the muscle of his back. But he didn't squirm out of her grip.

"Later on, we're _going_ to have a talk with him," Ashido said firmly, and although Midoriya couldn't tell, he knew she was giving everyone a fierce look that probably said, _'come-with-me-or-I'll-do-it-alone'_. Before he could dissuade her, or convince her otherwise, she gave him a firm squeeze, and rested her head against his neck. "But right now... we need to make sure you're okay."

"D-De... Midoriya...?" Izuku blinked; Uraraka had never _not_ called him Deku. He felt a tightness in his chest as his anxiety began building up.

Was she mad? Did she not believe him? Did she secretly love Bakugou, and now that he'd been open, was she going to fight him?

"I'm _sorry_!" He froze. "I-I never... I never realized that all the times he yelled at you, he was saying worse! I didn't know that the nickname he gave you... I didn't..." She sniffled, and Midoriya became acutely aware of just _how_ distraught she was. A pang of guilt hummed through his chest as he desperately tried to think of something to say.

"P-please... don't change my n-name!"

He shivered, though it was difficult to tell if it was because he was emotional, or if he was perhaps a bit cold. His feeble trembling only caused Ashido to grip him tighter, while Tsuyu leaned into the green haired boy's side, closing her eyes, a soft 'gero' the only noise she made. "Y-you changed that name, you know...? I-if you... if y-you don't use it, then, h-how can I be the Deku that saves everyone...?"

It wasn't _exactly_ what he meant to say, but then again, he hadn't had anything finite in the swirling maelstrom of emotion that was raging within his head. Rather, it was what he _needed_ to say: a truth that had been pushed out by the heart, instead of the brain. Deep down, _Deku_ had become more than simply a nickname that had been changed. It had become an identity; a part of the hero that Midoriya strived to become. He wanted to remember those feelings of inadequacy and channel them into productive moments, where even the Quirkless kid watching would be inspired.

He wanted to prove to everyone that the starting line wasn't the ending line. He wanted to be an inspiration for anyone to become a hero... he wanted to be his own hero.

Through his trembling, Ashido held on to him firmly, vaguely concerned of the teen's mental state. Tsuyu had curled up at his side, hoping that the comfort of people would help his vicious anxiety ebb away into a management state. "I... I _am_ Deku!"

"I-if you take that a-away, t-then... t-th-then..." He hiccuped. " _Then who am I?!_ "

It was perhaps the first time that anyone had ever _heard_ Midoriya say his hero name. They'd seen him write it. They'd heard others refer to him by the moniker. They'd bore witness to the transformation of his once belittling title, and were inspired by his iron-firm belief that it was a name that he could use as a means for inspiration.

But up until now, nobody had ever heard him actually _say_ his name. It wasn't particularly as if anyone believed he had any doubts about selecting the title, because the steely courage in his eyes told them otherwise. He truly wanted to be known as Deku. But even through his belief, there was concern that perhaps he, himself, wasn't ready to utter the syllables, because it was a matter of conviction.

Nobody would have known that Midoriya spoke his name firmly to Gran Torino, and nobody was the wiser, but within, Midoriya felt a bubble of... tranquility? The sensation was akin to a warmth; much like Ashido's hugs, or Uraraka's smiles. It was similar to the feeling of Todoroki's subtle nods and faint smiles, or Iida's appreciative gestures. It was synonymous with Kirishima's hardy pats to his back, or Tsuyu's gentle nuzzling whenever she was close.

"You're the Deku who can do it!" Uraraka wailed, clasping her arms around his neck and pulling herself into his chest. Her sniffling was loud, but the pounding in Midoriya's head was louder as his heart seemed to restart, and a rush of emotions surged through his body. It was strange, he'd later think. The sudden flow of emotion was almost intoxicating, captivating him a warm glow, before he noticed a foreign sensation starting in his heart and spreading diffusely.

While it wasn't quite a heat, there was definitely a trace of warmth in the feeling, though it felt... light.

He blinked, having felt the feeling a few times before. _Acceptance_.

Suddenly, the ice-cold fear that Midoriya felt strangling him began releasing, as the warmth spread evenly through his fingers and toes, throughout his core and chest. It wasn't the same _physical_ warmth as One-For-All, or contact, but it shared a unique trait with all of those sensations; he felt at peace.

Bakugou's looming punishment and alienation remained on the forefront of his mind, and that in itself brought its own rush of anxiety. But the fear of the unknown: the fear of not being accepted, faded, and was replaced by a sense of camaraderie. There was no chance that anyone was going to abandon him, because in truth, he had never been alone. Not since the first day of entering U.A.

Uraraka had remained firmly by his side, even as he stuttered and sputtered, unable to contain his fear, or his massively overpowered quirk.

Iida had remained firmly by his side, despite the difference in the personality, and the waging war that the young class president had waged on a blood-thirsty criminal.

Todoroki remained firmly by his side, despite the insults and disrespect he'd slung at the duel-quirked teenager, challenging everything the boy had every thought.

Kirishima had remained firmly by his side, despite the friendship and respect he'd established _with_ Bakugou, and learning the truth behind his tormenter.

Tsuyu had remained firmly by his side, facing down the eerie darkness that loomed within the League of Villain's initial appearance.

And Ashido... Ashido hadn't left his side, not since learning the truth. She had always been there, greeting him, talking to him... including him. She was quietly fighting the battle that he'd always hidden away, and somehow, he'd been none-the-wiser.

He teared up.

 _He had the greatest of friends_.


	4. 4: Confrontation

_Only two more chapters remain. As we talk about some heavy stuff in this chapter, and in the last few, if you ever need someone to talk to, you can always PM me, I'm more than willing to help and listen. Otherwise, enjoy this shorter chapter!_

* * *

Bakugou Katsuki didn't lose. But in the moment, he was beginning to question what kind of battle he was getting ready to fight.

The following three days of class were... awkward, to say the least.

What began as an uncomfortable silence between the majority of Class 1-A, and their resident hot-headed explosive-expert Bakugou Katsuki, quickly turned into a warzone. There were glares exchanged, scowls compared, and even a few scathing words fired back and forth between some of the more vocal students of Class 1-A, but nothing drastic occurred until the fourth day.

That was the day that the fireworks began, and the aforementioned warzone became a literal battlefield.

It was difficult to pinpoint the exact incident that set Bakugou off - it could have really been anything. He was hardly ignorant to the sudden animosity he was receiving at the hands of his fellow classmates, though if he were honest, he could care less. While he would admit it was nice having training partners that weren't complete pushovers, he could also admit that he didn't really care if anyone was pissed with him or not. In his mind, their problem was _their_ problem. Not his.

That _was_ what he'd thought; until, suddenly, he found it significantly more difficult to get things done during class. He found himself suddenly studying alone - which he was initially content with, until he began finding himself in a rut with the lessons, and no one to compare notes to. When it came time for partner activities, there was a sudden lull in activity, where nobody moved, hoping that they weren't going to be placed at his side. Then, when he finally received his partner, they'd either be silent or ice-cold to him, giving him a look that rivaled even Todoroki's stoic glare.

Again, though, he didn't care. He _wouldn't_ care. Their problem was, once again, theirs. As long as it didn't affect his work, then the grass-munching fuckers of Class 1-A could do whatever they saw fit.

That all changed when Hero Studies came around, and he was placed in a group of four with Todoroki, Shoji and Mineta. Their names didn't _really_ matter to him - nobody's really did. Hell, he didn't really care about his own name; he just cared about who knew it, and how they knew it. He refused to be known as someone who was a lost cause - someone like Deku.

"Midget and Octopus, you two go right. Half-and-half, follow them from a distance." From a kneeling position, Bakugou grunted as he adjusted the large canister grenade on his arm. The task, in his opinion, was simple. Located within the mock city, be the first to the objective, set up a defense, and hold it. He could care less what task it simulated - all he had to do was fight off everyone, and win. Even still, he had a plan. Funnel them to his teammates, and when they became overwhelmed with the numbers, he'd crush them. "I'll hunt down the fuckers that trail off before they even know what hit them."

There was no doubt that he was looking forward to the chance to vent his mounting frustration. Even now, his 'team' was glaring at him - even the fucking purple grape! The little fucker that nobody seemed to like and dressed like he was wearing a fucking diaper! And yet, nobody seemed to care, because they were all too busy glaring at him like he'd stepped on a puppy or some shit!

With a growl, he prepped himself to launch, but stopped short when he heard a defiant response that he hadn't been expecting. "No."

Whirling, he caught the eye of Mineta, and for a moment, he was wide-eyed and shocked. Had the fucking midget - the same one that did nothing but perv on women, annoy the rest of the class, and had an incessant habit of _running away from_ _combat_ \- just outright defied him?

There was a moment of silence. Nobody seemed to move. The words rung in Bakugou's ears over and over, and for a tense moment, he couldn't figure out if he was hearing things. Surely nobody would _actually_ defy him, let alone a pebble that was smaller than even Deku? The damn nerd had grown a backbone since his mysterious Quirk appeared, but he'd only actually offered any form of defiance once. The rest of it was a meager struggle that _would_ be handled with vigorous aggression. But this kid? This fucking _loser_?

"Eh?"

It was ominous, how slowly Bakugou walked toward Mineta. The boiling anger that had been stewing for several days had finally reached its spilling point, and it was leaking from the explosive boy's pores, threatening to douse everything around. A forced smile spread _painfully_ slow across Katsuki's face.

"Care to say that again, asshole?"

The purple-headed fuck was _trembling_.

Even though he'd somehow found the stones to speak up when he had no reason to say anything, he was still quaking with the mere prospect of being approached. If he hadn't been so enraged, Bakugou might have scoffed at the remark, chalking it up to a fool's moment of idiotic bravery. But he was _pissed._ And this was too much to ignore or scoff at.

Bakugou came to a rest a few feet away, glaring hatefully down at the small boy, expecting a fearful apology at any moment. His fists clenched and unclenched underneath of his padded gloves, stretching the muscles in his hands out with each extension - a habit of his whenever his anger took the driver's seat. "WELL?!"

"I... I said no!"

All of his anger faded for a split-second.

This kid was serious, wasn't he?

"I'm not listening to a big... b-big... bully!" Mineta proclaimed through the waver in his voice. His gaze radically shifted from Todoroki to Shoji, and Bakugou realized that he was betting on his two teammates to protect him should things get dicey. And judging by the frost that wafted from Todoroki's hand, a fight would definitely break out if Mineta were to pay for his words.

But Bakugou's rage knew no limits - who gave a shit about the exercise anymore? Clearly his team didn't, because it was no secret that there was a clear difference between the top of the class and the bottom. Half-and-half was, begrudgingly, a member of the top of the class; but he was barely near the top. No; the honor of being the best belonged to Bakugou himself, and he knew it. But it wasn't indisputable, and that's what made it tricky - and also made it annoying.

Being the best meant nothing if it wasn't indisputable; ergo, there was still plenty of work he'd have to do to reach that level. But that wasn't his focus now - his entire being screamed for him to smite the grape that dared speak against him.

"You..." Bakugou muttered, narrowing his eyes hatefully on the purple boy, causing said boy to yelp and grab his head defensively. He forced his voice to be calm - he'd explode on them in a couple of seconds. "The fuck you think you're sayin', huh?"

Mineta bit his lip, eyeing Bakugou disdainfully. There was emotion within his eyes - emotion that the sandy-haired blonde had never seen within his eyes before. From the first moment of class, when Bakugou had eyed everyone down - judging who would potentially challenge him and who would be a useless extra - he'd never seen even a remote iota of challenge from the purple-haired runt. But now, it seemed, there was something there after all.

And that pissed him off even more.

"I won't listen to anyone that's a bully!" Mineta repeated.

There that word was again.

 _Bully._

It sounded so... bitter, coming off the tongue of the diminutive prospective hero. Like it carried experience with it. Like it carried knowledge...

"Ordinarily, I never expected to agree with Mineta." Bakugou's eye shifted over to Todoroki, who met his glare with a frosty glare of his own. Both parties ignored the feeble ' _hey!_ ' from Mineta as they gauged each other's next move. There was a stalemate in place, neither party looking for the first move. They both understood the truth: they were very close in terms of power.

The first move could be their own undoing.

Todoroki slowly adjusted, rotating his body so that his 'hot' side was turned toward Bakugou - a sign that irritated, yet excited the blonde. The last time they'd fought, Bakugou could still recall his seething rage at the half-and-half teenager refusing to utilize his full power, despite having used it the match prior.

"I think we can agree, however, that he has a point."

Bakugou huffed angrily. "The fuck's _that_ mean?"

If it were possible, Todoroki's glare became colder, and Bakugou could almost _feel_ the creeping chill of the boy's duel-Quirk. "You know exactly what I mean. The things you did to Midoriya were unspeakable."

Deku.

That damned _Deku_.

He always ruined everything! Every single time!

"What did that shitty nerd say now?!" Bakugou raged, all memory of the training event gone from his mind.

This time, Shoji spoke up, his voice breaking the standoff between the two top students. "It's what he _didn't_ say that has everyone in an uproar. He tried to hide everything, you know? Protect you. I don't know why."

It was inevitable, looking back.

Anytime that Deku came up, Bakugou knew he had the tendency to blow his lid. It wasn't even close, either. His mother had warned him (not that he'd ever cared to listen) that one day, he'd come across someone that wouldn't give him the opportunity to throw his "temper tantrums". He disagreed vehemently, stating they weren't tantrums - not that his mother listened, of course. In his mind, her warning was stupid. He had always been the top dog - the best of the best. His Quirk was amazingly powerful. And everyone else's... wasn't.

But then he'd started at U.A.

He'd seen evidence that everything he knew wasn't entirely true. Todoroki had demolished the first heroic exercise with apt precision that actually woke Bakugou up for the first time ever. Suddenly, he was keenly aware that he wasn't clearly the best anymore. Then, Deku came and further challenged that change by actually _beating_ him in a combat test.

That day, he took a silent vow: don't lose again. The best don't lose. It only added to the previous ideals he held. _The best don't need saving. The best don't need help. The best are the strongest_.

And Deku was always there, messing up everything. It was like the green-haired idiot didn't understand the rules of being a hero. Always butting his head in, always getting in the way - violating the rules! He hated it! He always did!

"SHUT UP!" A teeth-rattling explosion punctuated his words, sending out rippling shock waves as he detonated the ground below him with rage-fueled attack, aimed at nothing. He felt the fibers in his arms strain under the force of the attack, but his rage-clouded brain paid the minimal pain little heed as he seethed, breathing in heavily through teeth clenched so hard, they might fracture under the pressure.

Dust was blown everywhere, mixing with the inky smoke from the explosion, resulting in a thick veil that obscured everything from sight. "I DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT FUCKING NERD'S HELP! I DON'T WANT HIS FUCKING PROTECTION!"

A wall of ice breached the smoke, casting the air aside as the glacier rushed forward with deadly intention, enveloping its path in a thick layer of frost. When Bakugou caught sight of it hurdling toward him, he raised his arms and willing an explosion forth, interrupting the ice with another ground rumbling bang. More smoke was tossed up, but with the freezing slab of ice cutting through the air, everything was significantly more visible.

Including Todoroki's darkened glare.

"You don't deserve it, either," Todoroki muttered, prior to sending a wall of flames forward. The heat was a drastic change from the cold, but in it, Bakugou felt his body suddenly beginning to produce ounces more sweat. He dove forward - narrowly missing the flames - and blew himself up into the air, before redirecting himself with another explosion, throwing his body toward Todoroki like a missile.

The blonde reared his leg back, prepared to deliver a devastating kick, but when he tried to pivot his body, he realized that his arm was stuck to his side by a purple ball. Ordinarily, that might not have been effective - but with Bakugou's sudden inability to shift mid-air, the Explosion-user found himself unable to deliver the attack as intended, resulting in an awkward angle with the arc of his swing.

Todoroki ducked under the attacked and retaliated with a pillar of ice, capturing Bakugou within momentarily.

"FUCK THIS!" He roared, shattering the ice with a tremendous boom. Just as he tried to rip his arm free from the sticky orb stuck to his side, he was tackled by the monstrous Shoji, the multi-limbed student taking the open opportunity to swing him around and throw him aside. Bakugou skid across the ground, but successfully regained his footing as he rolled, heaving as he did so.

 _'Three opponents_ ,' he growled to himself. It wasn't going to be easy to win. He hated to admit it, but Half-and-Half was a decent challenge alone. The tentacle-freak was physically strong, and very durable. The purple fuck was an inconvenience at best, but could be almost dangerous if left untouched.

There was always backing down. But the red in his vision didn't bother looking for an escape. So, he took a step forward, ready to pounce, before Aizawa's stern voice echoed throughout the intercom system located within the mock city. "That will end this exercise. If anyone attacks again, I can promise expulsion, no questions asked."

Nobody dared move.

"I guess that's all, huh?" Todoroki said icily. There was practically venom dripping from each word he spoke.

Bakugou spit on the ground, micro-explosions popping off in his palms. "Not by a long shot, fucker. I won't forget this." He looked at Shoji - who simply stared back, unflinching - and then turned his gaze onto Mineta. The kid cowered away, his defiant from melting in the face of unbridled rage. "And I don't fucking forgive, either."

"Don't expect us to, either," the half-and-half teen muttered, standing straight up.

Bakugou Katsuki didn't lose. But in the moment, he was beginning to question what kind of battle he was fighting.

* * *

"Would anyone care to explain why they felt it necessary to attack their own teammates?"

It wasn't an understatement to say that Aizawa was furious. Just the look on his face promised a year-long detention _with_ daily, hellish chores, reserved for whatever imbecile admitted fault for the fight - which, Bakugou had no intention of doing. He hadn't started shit. He wasn't taking a single ounce of blame, either.

There was no time between being summoned off the training ground and arriving within Mr. Aizawa's line of sight. The rest of the class was presumably under another teacher's supervision, or possibly even left to their own devices - it was impossible to tell which. Not that it mattered; Aizawa was outright pissed.

There was an uneasy silence between the other three, however, as they glanced at one another.

"I will not ask again, do I make myself clear?"

There was a resounding "yes, sir," followed by a brief moment of silence.

Then, Todoroki cleared his throat. "There have been some... recent developments." Aizawa raised an eyebrow, but was otherwise silent. There was no need for him to say anything, because his message was clear: _why did they matter so much?_ Todoroki seemingly squirmed in place - an action that reminded Bakugou stunningly of Deku, and the boy's former inability to talk in front of people when summoned to do so. "They're... personal," he finished lamely.

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose, releasing a heavy sigh. "This had better be something..." He released his grip and looked at Todoroki, an expression of utter fatigue plastered across his face. "We can discuss these 'personal matters' in private. You three will remain here - if a single word is said while I'm gone, I can promise you'll wish you had the disciple to stay quiet."

With that stern promise, Aizawa took a slightly hesitant Todoroki into a nearby room, sealing the duo away from earshot.

All the while, Bakugou glared angrily at the ground. His hands - now free from the large, grenade-shaped gauntlets he typically wore - were shoved angrily crossed over his chest since his hero costume came without pockets. He stared straight down, refusing to meet the surely glaring gaze of Shoji, or the mildly terrified look of Mineta. Something about their looks pissed him off more than usual.

He thought back, trying to properly recall the whole reason the fight had broke out in the first place.

Deku, of course, had been the main cause. But that hadn't been it, had it? This was more than just some simple, shitty Deku-caused thing. Somehow, they were _all_ siding with Deku over _something_. It didn't make sense for him to care at first, but now it was clear that whatever that something was, it had pissed _everyone_ off.

The question became: what was that something?

 _"I won't listen to anyone that's a bully!"_

A bully.

That was a difficult word in Bakugou's life. He was no stranger to its applied usage against him; his school might have been shitty and useless, but it did revere the very ground he walked on, and had provided no shortage of recommendation letters for him heading into U.A. However, one word did appear a few times during conferences, in which Bakugou paid it no heed, but it was a warning written for him moving forward: his personality, while ignored, was suggestive of bullying.

The school had such a weak foundation that they had no stance on the bullying, especially against a student that might just bring them some sort of relevance. However, their guidance counselor had strong words of advice for the Bakugou family: _he needs to learn that his actions have consequences, or the end result could be devastating toward his future._

 _"He tried to hide everything, you know? Protect you."_

What the fuck did that even mean? What sort of things could the lowly Deku be protecting _anyone_ from? Begrudgingly, he'd come to a realization over the past few days: Deku was no small-fry anymore. It pissed him off _immensely_ to admit it, but Bakugou Katsuki was no idiot; he learned from his mistakes, because the best didn't make mistakes. The best didn't mess up, time and time again, like he had so far. Being captured by the League of Villains was his own fault. So was All Might's impromptu retirement. No matter how much he wanted to blame Deku, the fact of the matter was that _he_ was responsible - not Deku.

And yeah, it pissed him off. But not at Deku, specifically.

Somehow, that runt had become collaborated with All Might. He wasn't daft, after all. He could still remember what Deku said to him the same day that he'd lost the battle training simulation.

 _"I'm going to make this Quirk my own...!"_

At first, that was a fucking insult - and one that Bakugou wouldn't readily forgive. It was a statement wrapped in mystery, basked in the shadows, and completely illegible. It made no sense. Then, everything began coming together - and while none of the other idiots in Class 1-A were paying attention, he was. Maybe it was because of that quote, so maybe no one else could open their eyes wide enough to see the developments, or maybe they were too busy with their thumbs up their ass... it didn't really matter, in the end.

Bakugou was finding the truth out, one by one, and it was nothing short of confusing as he discovered each new step. The connection between All Might - the world's greatest hero - and Deku was convoluted at best, with loose tendrils ominously hanging in the shadows, trying to be shielded from sight; but why?

There was no figuring out their connection, Bakugou admitted. To discover the origins of their kinship would be nearly impossible without some sort of additional help - or tip. And Deku had already given him a massive tip, as he'd later realize. What were initially words of mocking had turned into a revelation, though Bakugou couldn't figure out _why_ the nerd even bothered opening his mouth. It was possible that it was still aimed as a mechanism of boasting, but somehow, the sandy-haired teen doubted it. There was too much... truth.

Truly, Deku hadn't possessed a Quirk; he wasn't lying. But then, how did he possess one now?

Slowly, Bakugou's thoughts trailed back to the looming, dangerous man that called himself All-For-One. _He_ was the only one who'd rivaled All Might's strength, though in the end, he was a villain, and he lost, just as it was meant to be. But his Quirk was unlike any Quirk Bakugou had ever seen... he could _steal_ and _give_ Quirks - which meant... was it possible that his intervention was behind Deku's sudden power?

At this, Bakugou scoffed aloud.

 _'As if_ ', he concluded sourly. The nerd was desperate for power, that much was true. He'd spent almost every waking moment of his pitiful existence looking for some iota of strength, but came up empty-handed each time. There was no chance that he'd impress that monster of a man enough to be given a Quirk - especially considering his goals in life. But... if the walking potato could give Quirks...

Then that would mean that others could, too.

 _"You're_ _next_."

How coincidental that Deku reacted differently than everyone else? How was his Quirk so much alike All Might's? Was it possible?

"Bakugou."

The teen's eyes snapped to upward, a disinterested look remained plastered on his face. He would not divulge anything until he knew _what_ was going on.

Yet, the look on Aizawa's face was... unreadable. It wasn't the furious look he'd adopted earlier, nor was it was merciful. It was simply... stoic. To his side, Todoroki was a slight bit paler than normal, and his gaze was averted, though it lacked shame. As Bakugou stepped forward, and Todoroki stepped away, their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and in that second, Bakugou could see the true disdain that the half-and-half Quirk-user held.

And, for a second, it actually worried him. Then, Aizawa spoke lowly, and the thoughts slipped from his head, as his eyes focused on the man in front of him.

"Come with me."

* * *

Psychiatric consultations.

Fucking _psychiatric_ consultations.

That wasn't all, though. That was only the beginning, in all truthfulness.

Aizawa was direct in his quick interrogation. There was no bullshit - in which Bakugou appreciated - but there was also no room for a missed step. Anything that was said, needed meaning attached, or there was easily risk of expulsion - Bakugou could clearly see it. Perhaps, if it had been another teacher, he would've been expelled right on the spot. Bakugou was no idiot; he knew that his past had a chance of catching up to him.

Looking back, he'd tried to keep his record clean. He didn't smoke with the two lackeys that addressed him as a friend (though, he had no desire to label them as such), he refused to drink with them, or even entertain the notion of _anything_ illegal. Stealing, even as minor as shoplifting, remained on his list of 'DO NOT DO'. He had little tolerance for their behavior, but ultimately, they fed his ego, and at times, even entertained him.

They also encouraged his bad behavior, and he was no blind to what he'd said and done. He was a pompous asshole, and he knew that. Nobody else in the world might understand that he was aware, but then, they were probably waiting for some big apology and recognition of that - which, he fucking refused to give them.

His life was his own; and thus, his choices were also his own. Mistakes were made, but he knew that if he was going to be the best hero, he'd overcome them like All Might overcame everything in his path.

Being reminded of his treatment toward Deku was nothing he didn't already remember - he could hardly forget the way the shrimp had quivered at the mere sight of him, nor could he forget the momentary look of defiance that would gleam in Deku's eyes, just before it was blown away by a literal explosion. He could hardly forget the way that he'd stood above the kid he'd thought to be a pebble, demoralizing him day after day, tormenting him physically and mentally, challenging him to step up, only to put him firmly into the dirt. There was no ignoring that - no forgetting that.

It hadn't mattered, either. Not at first, anyways. Their middle school had such a weak backbone - there was absolutely no chance that they'd risk penalizing him on the charges of bullying, when they had the chance of being the middle school that Bakugou Katsuki, UA student, went to before making it big. They couldn't afford to risk it. So, they never confronted him.

Now, he subtly wished they had.

His reputation was _fucked_.

There was no saving it. There was no going back. He was going to be known as the person that told fucking Deku (of all people) to jump off a rooftop and kill himself. Somehow, the entire Class 1-A knew of this, and there was absolutely no chance that they'd forget about it. He wanted to say that he didn't care - after all, they wouldn't stop his ascension to the Number One heroic spot. He'd be the best on his own. They wouldn't rise above him, nor would they hold him back.

He wanted to say that he didn't care. Because why should he? Their opinions meant absolutely _nothing_ to him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the giant _asshole_ himself?"

Bakugou grit his teeth as he walked by a pink-skinned girl leaning against the wall as he rounded the corner. He'd just been trying to retreat to his dorm room so that he could file away all the information he'd been given by Aizawa; he didn't want to be pestered by _another_ one of Deku's ridiculous sympathizers. Didn't they all have a campfire to gather around and sing at or some shit? With the way they were acting, it seemed plausible.

"You know, I knew you didn't like Midoriya - hell, _everyone with eyes_ could see you didn't like Midoriya." Her tone shifted. Begrudgingly, Bakguou remembered her name - Ashido. She had made it abundantly clear during the Sports Festival what her name was. It didn't mean he had to recognize it out loud. Her tone had changed, though. It was cold. Steely. But not accusing, like it had been just a second ago.

And that made him pause momentarily.

She waited a moment, and he imagined her silently judging him. "But I don't get why anyone would want to be a hero after saying something like _that_."

"'s none of your fuckin' business, Raccoon Eyes." He didn't look at her, but he knew that she was scowling.

Not that it mattered, of course. He was being truthful - it wasn't her damn business. She wasn't there. She only cared because of her own self-righteous, bullshit moral code she'd decidedly adopted. It wasn't her place to question his decisions in life, nor his aspirations.

And, as expected, she hissed a reply. However, it wasn't the reply he'd been expecting. "It became my business when you _broke my friend_."

He wasn't quite sure what he'd been expecting, if he were completely honest. Maybe some bullshit, sap-story about how someone told her the same things, or maybe about how it became her business because they were dating, or something like that. Something that clearly was still not her business, but she'd decided to be less of a coward than Deku, and come demand answers for her own personal satisfaction, and to quell her guilty conscious.

But that... was not on the list. And he felt his muscles stiffen as he processed her words.

"Yeah, you heard me." She said lowly, icicles on each of her words. "He considered it, did you know that? Did you actually fucking think when you spoke; or did you just say whatever dim-witted idea came to mind?"

It didn't matter that she was insulting him, because for the moment, he was actually lost in thought. There was a small part of his brain demanding that he lash out and tell her off - that it wasn't his problem what Deku did and didn't do. But that was false and he knew it. If Deku had followed his... 'advice', for lack of a better term... it would've followed him. Forever.

Deku's weakness was not his own - but he'd never actually considered that Deku would listen to anything he'd said. Hell, the runt had _never_ acknowledged that anything he'd said made it past his thick skull - so why, suddenly, did those words change everything?

"I think I speak for the entire _class_ when I say that we will not forgive you."

Bakugou whirled on Ashido, not caring about the heat that had rushed to his face as he quietly pondered what had happened if Deku had jumped. "Why the _fuck_ are you all so insistent on protecting that nerd, huh?! Can't he protect himself?!"

"He did protect himself! For God knows how long you bullied him, he had to protect himself!" Ashido fired back.

"So why does everyone care now, huh? No one cared back then! No one dared step to his side! Why now?! Why _him?!_ "

"It has nothing to do with _who_ it is!" Ashido challenged back, meeting his glare and stepping forward vehemently. "You are so fucking obsessed with Midoriya, and I don't get it! None of us do! It doesn't matter who you said it to! You could've said to literally _anybody_ , and we'd feel the same!"

"So it's because _I_ said it, then?!" Bakugou's voice dropped to a low snarl. There was a dare - a challenge - in his words. The muscles in his hands grew tight and he could feel the sweat pooling in his palms as he instinctively readied his Quirk. He wouldn't attack first, but warnings be damned if she struck. "You think I'm a villain?"

"No."

Again, she surprised him.

"Midoriya said something - something I think we all agree on. A villain is just someone who consciously makes bad choices, over and over because they want to hurt people. Making a bad choice doesn't make you a bad person." She stood firm for a moment, and then withdrew, her posture visibly tired. He snorted, and took a mutual step back, eying her carefully. "Do you think you're a villain?"

Momentarily, he was brought back to the League of Villains hideout, tied up in the chair, accused over and over of being a villain as they tried desperately to con him onto the losing side. The side he'd never seen eye-to-eye with. The side that he'd never be a part of. The side that... had taken him, which led to his weakness becoming All Might's downfall.

"No," he snorted.

He was no villain.

"Then why did you want to break him?" Ashido asked softly. The anger from her voice had faded, and it sounded hollow compared to the fire that had burned before. Her eyes turned downcast, as she turned her body posture inward, as if to protect her from some invisible cold.

 _'I... didn't...'_

"I wanted to remind him of where he stood."

"And that was...? In the ground?"

"He was Quirkless, believe it or not."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because a Quirkless runt can't be a hero. He would've died trying."

"So, what? In your own messed up way, you were protecting him? Is that what I'm supposed to believe?"

"No. I don't know!" He cursed loudly, thoughts running rampant in his head. He had too much on his plate - too much going on. He couldn't think about lowly Deku and his hurt feelings right now - he had to figure other things out.

"Then why did you say it...?" Ashido asked quietly.

Yet, he didn't answer, instead, turning away and finishing the walk to his dorm room, leaving the question floating in the air. He didn't need to look at her to know she was confused and disappointed. He didn't need a mirror to know _he_ was confused and disappointed.

Because, looking back on the incident, he replayed the moment over and over in his head, wondering where it had all come from in the first place. And the more he tried to think back, point his finger _somewhere_ , he more he realized: he just didn't know. He had no answer. There was no singular, definitive reason that he'd said what he said.

And he knew that wasn't right.

He didn't want to care that his entire class knew the truth, and he didn't want to care that they hated him.

But deep, deep down, he did care.


End file.
